Breast Lift with Implants

Your Consultation

Your breast lift with implants journey begins with a comprehensive consultation with Dr. Aimé. You will discuss what you would like to change, including concerns about breast sagging, loss of volume, asymmetry, nipple position, and the breast size and shape you would like to achieve.

Dr. Aimé will examine and measure your breasts and chest, evaluating your existing breast volume, skin and tissue quality, nipple position, breast fold, asymmetries, and chest dimensions. These findings help determine how the breasts should be lifted and reshaped and how an implant can be used to add the volume and fullness you desire.

Planning Your Breast Lift

The amount of lifting needed depends on your existing breast shape, nipple position, skin excess, and how much the breast has widened or lengthened over time. Dr. Aimé will discuss the incision pattern needed to remove excess skin, reshape the breast tissue, and reposition the nipple and areola.

The lift is also planned around the volume being added with the implant. The goal is to create an appropriate balance between the implant, your existing breast tissue, and the surrounding skin rather than treating the lift and augmentation as two separate procedures.

Choosing Your Implant Size and Profile

Choosing an implant involves more than selecting a cup size or number of cc’s. Your breast and chest measurements help determine an appropriate implant width, while the amount of fullness and projection you prefer helps guide implant profile and volume.

During sizing, you will try on different implant sizers and then put your clothing back on to see how different volumes look with your body and everyday clothes. Inspiration photos and results from women with a similar height and build can also help communicate the breast size, shape, and upper breast fullness you prefer.

With a breast lift, implant size is also considered in relation to your existing breast tissue and skin quality. Your preferences, measurements, degree of lifting, and tissue support are considered together when narrowing your implant options, and different implant sizes or profiles may be selected between the breasts when appropriate to improve asymmetry.

Learn More: How Breast Implant Sizing Works →

Silicone vs. Saline Implants

Both silicone and saline breast implants can be used with a breast lift and can provide excellent results. Both have a silicone outer shell, but they differ in feel, structure, available dimensions, incision requirements, and how a rupture is detected. Silicone implants generally feel more similar to natural breast tissue, while saline implants are filled with sterile saltwater after placement and allow some flexibility in fill volume.

Dr. Aimé offers implants from multiple manufacturers and will review the advantages and limitations of the available options with you. Implant selection is individualized based on your anatomy, aesthetic preferences, and the characteristics that are most important to you.

Choosing the Implant Pocket (Plane)

Breast implants can be placed in different tissue planes, or “pockets,” depending on your anatomy, breast tissue thickness, implant selection, and surgical goals. Options include placement above the pectoralis muscle (subglandular or subfascial) or partially beneath the muscle (dual-plane/submuscular).

Dr. Aimé frequently uses the subfascial plane, which places the implant above the pectoralis muscle but beneath the thin fascial covering. This avoids cutting or disrupting the pectoralis muscle while providing an additional layer of tissue over the implant. Other implant planes may be recommended when better suited to your anatomy, tissue coverage, or surgical needs.

With a breast lift, the implant pocket is planned together with the reshaping of the breast. Breast tissue distribution, skin quality, nipple position, and the amount of support needed all influence how the implant and lifted breast are positioned relative to one another.

Learn More: How to Choose the Best Breast Implant Plane for You →

Your Preoperative Visit

Once you decide to proceed with surgery, you will return for a preoperative visit to review and finalize your surgical plan. You will try on implant sizers again to help solidify your implant choice, and the planned implant options, implant pocket, breast lift approach, and any additional procedures will be reviewed.

You will also receive detailed instructions regarding medications, activity, nutrition, and recovery, with another opportunity to ask questions before surgery. Preoperative testing or medical clearance may be required based on your age and medical history. A recent mammogram is generally required for patients age 40 and older or earlier when indicated by personal or family risk factors.

Smoking and all nicotine products must be stopped for at least 4–6 weeks before and after surgery. This is particularly important with a breast lift because nicotine reduces blood flow to healing tissues and can increase the risk of wound-healing problems and tissue loss.

Learn More: Why Nicotine Must Be Stopped Before and After Plastic Surgery →

Preparing Your Body for Surgery

Your preparation for surgery begins well before the day of your procedure. Maintaining regular physical activity, good nutrition, adequate protein intake, and healthy daily habits can help prepare your body for the physical demands of surgery and recovery. This approach is sometimes called prehabilitation, or “pre-hab.”

You do not need to begin an extreme exercise or diet program before surgery. Instead, the goal is to enter surgery well nourished, active, and as healthy as possible while addressing modifiable factors that may affect healing and recovery.

Learn More: How to Prepare for Plastic Surgery: Your Prehab Checklist →

The Days Before Surgery

In the week before surgery, your prescription medications will be sent to your pharmacy so they can be picked up before your procedure. You do not need to bring these medications with you to the surgery center. A member of Dr. Aimé’s nursing team will also call to review your surgical instructions and answer any remaining questions. You may receive a separate preoperative call from the surgery center nursing team as well.

You will receive specific instructions about which medications and supplements to continue, adjust, or stop before surgery. Dr. Aimé also uses a multimodal approach to help reduce pain and nausea. Depending on your surgical plan, you may be instructed to take medications such as Tylenol and Celebrex before surgery and apply a scopolamine patch the night before so that it is working by the time of your procedure. You will also be given a pre-surgical carbohydrate drink to take the evening before surgery and, when appropriate, another the morning of surgery.

You should bathe or shower the night before or morning of surgery and avoid applying lotion or deodorant to the surgical area. Leave jewelry at home and wear glasses rather than contact lenses. Wear loose, comfortable clothing that is easy for the nursing staff to help you into after surgery, preferably clothing you would not mind getting a small amount of drainage on, along with easy slip-on shoes.

You will generally stop eating at midnight before surgery. Small sips of water may be permitted with medications you have specifically been instructed to take the morning of surgery. Because fasting and carbohydrate-drink instructions can vary based on your procedure, surgery center, and anesthesia plan, follow the specific instructions provided by your surgical team rather than general fasting guidelines.

Learn More: Pre-Surgery Carb Drinks: A Simple Way to Boost Recovery →

Arriving at the Surgery Center

When you arrive at the surgery center, you will meet the preoperative nursing staff, physician anesthesiologist, and operating room nurse who will be caring for you. Dr. Aimé will also meet with you in the preoperative area to review the surgical plan and make detailed markings on your breasts and chest that will guide her during surgery. If the final implant choice falls between two sizes, she will confirm whether you would prefer to err toward the larger or smaller option.

Before entering the operating room, compression stockings and sequential compression devices (SCDs) are placed on your legs to promote circulation, and a warming blanket is used to help maintain your body temperature. Depending on the length of your surgery and your individual risk factors, you may also receive an anticoagulant injection before surgery to further reduce the risk of blood clots.

Once preparations are complete, you will be taken to the operating room, where general anesthesia is administered by your physician anesthesiologist and the surgical team remains with you throughout your procedure.

Learn More: How SCDs Help Prevent Blood Clots →

Incision and Creating the Implant Pocket

Dr. Aimé typically begins by creating the implant pocket, or space where the implant will sit. The pocket may be created above or below the pectoralis muscle depending on the surgical plan established during your consultation.

The breast lift itself may require incisions around the areola, vertically down the lower breast, and sometimes along the inframammary fold. The exact incision pattern depends on the amount and location of excess skin, your existing breast shape, and how much reshaping is required.

Intraoperative Sizing and Implant Selection

Although implant options are narrowed before surgery, Dr. Aimé may use temporary implant sizers during surgery to evaluate how different implant volumes and profiles interact with your breast tissue and planned lift.

The breasts are assessed for size, shape, projection, symmetry, and overall proportion before the final implants are selected and placed. Different implant sizes may be used between the breasts when appropriate to improve pre-existing asymmetry.

Repositioning the Nipple and Reshaping the Breast

The nipple and areola are repositioned to a more youthful location while remaining attached to the underlying breast tissue and blood supply. The breast tissue is then reshaped around the implant to create the desired breast contour.

The amount of lifting and reshaping is individualized to each breast. Differences in breast size, nipple position, skin excess, and tissue distribution can be addressed independently to improve overall symmetry.

Tailor Tacking: Shaping Before Removing Skin

Once the implant is in position and the nipple has been repositioned, Dr. Aimé uses a technique called tailor tacking to temporarily bring the breast skin together before permanently removing it. This allows her to evaluate how the breast will look around the new implant and adjust the shape, skin tension, and symmetry in real time.

You can think of this as wrapping the breast around the implant like a present. By temporarily creating the planned closure first, Dr. Aimé can refine the breast shape before committing to the final skin removal.

Learn More: Why Dr. Aimé Staples Before She Cuts →

Internal Support When Needed

Some patients benefit from additional internal support to help reinforce the lower breast or implant pocket. When indicated, Dr. Aimé may use an absorbable surgical mesh, sometimes called an internal bra, to provide additional support while your own tissues heal and strengthen.

An internal bra is not necessary for every patient. Whether it is recommended depends on factors such as your tissue quality, implant size, existing breast support, previous surgery, and the amount of correction required.

Learn More: How Internal Bras Help Support Breast Implants →

Final Skin Removal and Closure

After the breast shape, nipple position, and symmetry have been evaluated, the planned excess skin is removed and the incisions are carefully closed with dissolvable sutures beneath the skin.

Before completing surgery, Dr. Aimé typically administers a long-acting local anesthetic (numbing medication) around the surgical areas to provide extended pain relief for up to 72 hours after surgery. This is part of a multimodal approach to pain control designed to improve comfort during the early recovery period and reduce the need for narcotic pain medication.

A supportive surgical bra is placed at the end of surgery before you are taken to the recovery room.

Learn More: Why Dr. Aimé Uses Long-Acting Local Anesthetic With Breast Surgery →

Recovery Room and Going Home

After surgery, you will be taken to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), where specially trained nursing staff will monitor you as you wake from anesthesia. Your vital signs, comfort, surgical sites, and overall recovery will be closely observed, and medications can be given as needed for pain, nausea, or other symptoms.

Once you are awake, comfortable, and meeting the appropriate criteria for discharge, the nursing staff will help you get dressed and review your immediate postoperative instructions with you and your responsible adult. You will leave the surgery center in a supportive surgical bra and must have a responsible adult drive you home and remain available to assist you after surgery.

Most patients undergoing breast lift with implants are able to return home the same day. When appropriate, overnight care may be arranged for close nursing monitoring, assistance, and pain control. Overnight monitoring may also be recommended or required when breast surgery is combined with other procedures that result in a longer operation or when your individual health considerations make additional monitoring appropriate.

Early Recovery

During the first several days, swelling, bruising, tightness, and mild to moderate discomfort are normal. The breasts may initially appear high, firm, swollen, or somewhat different from one another. Swelling commonly increases during the first few days before gradually improving as the tissues and implants begin to settle.

A surgical support bra is provided and placed at the end of surgery, so you do not need to purchase a postoperative bra beforehand. Long-acting local anesthetic (numbing medication) used during surgery helps with early discomfort, with additional medications prescribed for pain and nausea as needed.

Light walking is encouraged shortly after surgery. You will go home with detailed instructions about medications, showering, sleeping position, activity, and incision care. Our team will check in with you regularly during early recovery, and Dr. Aimé will personally check on you the evening of surgery. You will also have her direct contact information should you have questions or concerns.

Learn More: When Does Swelling Peak After Surgery →

Activity and Restrictions

Most patients can resume light daily activities within several days. Return to work depends on both the extent of surgery and the physical demands of your job. Patients with non-physical jobs may be comfortable returning sooner, while those whose work requires lifting, pushing, pulling, or repetitive upper-body activity should generally plan for approximately two weeks away from work.

Light walking is encouraged immediately, but lifting, strenuous exercise, and activities that place excessive tension on the healing breast incisions are restricted during early recovery. Activity is gradually increased as healing progresses, with light exercise typically beginning around two weeks, more moderate exercise around four weeks, and a gradual return to regular exercise around six weeks when healing appropriately.

Incision and Scar Care

Breast lift with implants creates more incisions than breast augmentation alone because skin must be removed and the breast reshaped. Depending on the lift pattern required, incisions may extend around the areola, vertically down the lower breast, and along the breast fold.

Scar care can often begin approximately 2–4 weeks after surgery once the incisions have healed sufficiently and should generally be underway by six weeks. Scar care typically includes scar massage, silicone tape or gel, and careful protection from sun exposure. Dr. Aimé will guide you on when to begin based on how your incisions are healing.

Breast lift scars are permanent, but they typically soften, flatten, and fade considerably with time. Scar maturation continues for many months and may take a year or longer.

How Your Breasts Change During Healing

Your breasts will not have their final appearance immediately after surgery. Early swelling, skin tension, and implant position can make them appear higher, firmer, or more rounded than they ultimately will. As swelling subsides and the tissues relax, the implants gradually settle and the breasts develop a softer, more mature shape.

The breast tissue, nipple position, implants, and scars are all healing simultaneously after a breast lift with implants, so shape and symmetry can continue to change over the following weeks and months. One breast may also settle somewhat faster than the other. These early differences do not necessarily reflect the final result.

Although much of the early change occurs during the first several weeks, breast shape and scars continue to mature for several months to a year or longer.

Postoperative Follow-Up

Follow-up care is an important part of your recovery. Dr. Aimé typically sees patients at approximately one week, two weeks, four to six weeks, three months, six months, and one year after surgery to monitor incision healing, scars, implant position, breast shape, symmetry, and your overall result. Additional visits can be scheduled whenever a concern arises or closer follow-up is needed.

Breast implants also require appropriate long-term surveillance. Dr. Aimé will review recommendations for routine breast screening and implant monitoring based on your age, implant type, and current guidelines.