Sagging Breasts: Breast Lift Only vs. Lift with Implants—Dr. Patronella Explains
Posted April 16, 2026 in Breast Augmentation, Breast Lift, Breast Sagging
By Dr. Chris Patronella
When you have breast sagging, do you need an implant? The answer is, “maybe.” Oftentimes patients come in with the idea that an implant is required with every breast lift. And it’s just not the case.
This is a wonderful example of what can be accomplished with a breast list without an implant. This is a lovely young lady who underwent a 50-pound weight loss and pregnancy, after which she breastfed her child. She developed significant sagging, and she was very self-conscious about this. In her consultation with me, she asked whether or not an implant would be needed.
She had plenty of tissue, and fortunately today, we have absorbable mesh that we can use to help support the lifted breast and give it longevity and strength. And that’s exactly what was done for this patient.
I thought she had enough breast tissue that she would not need an implant, yet I incorporated mesh in order to provide strength to the lift, and, as you can see in the postoperative appearance of her breasts both in the frontal view, in the oblique view, as well as the side view, you can see how much better the position of her breasts are and the fullness that was able to be accomplished in the upper part of the breast without an implant.
I point this out to you today because it is very common for a patient to come in and want an implant to provide the fullness to the upper part of the breast when really only a breast lift is required. An implant can impair the circulation to the healing incision site. As a plastic surgeon, we’re always concerned about the circulation to the healing wound, the incision. And both an implant and a breast lift can alter that circulation.
Placing an implant when we’re doing a breast lift can be a very difficult proposition to ensure good circulation is present. In breasts like this where a lot of lifting is required, an implant is going to be counterproductive. With an implant in place, I can’t do enough lifting to get this kind of result. So in some circumstances, I will recommend an implant with a lift, and in other circumstances, I will recommend only a breast lift. And this is one of those situations.
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