When pregnancy, breastfeeding, or significant weight loss alters your body, the breasts often experience two distinct changes simultaneously: the skin stretches, causing the breasts to droop (ptosis), and the breast tissue deflates, leading to a loss of volume—particularly in the upper pole.
Addressing both of these concerns requires a highly specialized approach. An uplift alone will correct the drooping but cannot replace lost volume. Implants alone will restore volume but cannot lift stretched skin—in fact, placing an implant into a sagging breast without removing excess skin can sometimes exacerbate the drooping.
A Mastopexy Augmentation—combining a breast uplift with the placement of an implant—is the definitive solution to address both concerns in a single procedure. At our practice, we utilize advanced surgical techniques to restore a firm, elevated, and beautifully full contour.
What Does the Combined Surgery Involve?
Because this is one of the most mechanically complex breast surgeries we perform, careful planning is essential. During the operation, we achieve three critical goals:
- Restoring Volume: We carefully select and place a breast implant to instantly restore the lost firmness, shape, and volume, delivering that natural fullness back to the upper chest.
- Lifting and Tightening: We reshape your natural breast tissue over the implant and expertly remove the excess, overstretched skin to secure the breast in a higher, more youthful position.
- Repositioning the Nipple: We raise the nipple and areola so they sit centrally on the newly shaped and augmented breast mount.
Are You a Good Candidate?
You may be an excellent candidate for this combined procedure if:
- Your breasts point downward and have noticeably lost volume or feel “empty.”
- You find that wearing an unpadded bra leaves the top half of your breasts looking flat.
- You want to address both the sagging skin and increase your overall cup size.
- You have finished having children. (Future pregnancies can stretch the tightened skin and alter the results).
- You are at a stable weight and in good general health.
The Surgical Journey and Recovery
Given the comprehensive nature of this surgery, we prioritize a monitored, highly supportive recovery process.
- The Surgery: A mastopexy augmentation is performed under general anaesthetic at a specialist private hospital in Sussex or Kent and typically takes 2.5 to 3.5 hours. You will usually stay in the hospital for one night for dedicated post-operative care and observation.
- The First Few Weeks: You will experience swelling, tightness, and manageable bruising. You must wear a supportive, non-wired surgical compression bra day and night to support both the healing incisions and the new implants. You must rest, sleep on your back, and strictly avoid heavy lifting or reaching above your head.
- Returning to Normalcy: Most patients return to light, desk-based work after 2 weeks. The implants will take several months to fully “drop and fluff” into their final, natural position. Gentle cardiovascular exercise can resume at 4 weeks, with a full return to unrestricted activity—including chest-focused workouts—cleared by our team around the 8 to 12-week mark.
Frequently Asked Questions
What scars will I have?
A mastopexy augmentation requires incisions to remove excess skin. The most common incision pattern is the “lollipop” (a circle around the areola and a vertical line down the breast) or the “anchor” (which adds a horizontal line in the natural breast crease). We place these with precision to ensure they are discreetly concealed within your natural contours and easily hidden by lingerie or swimwear. With our scar management protocols, these will fade significantly over 12 to 18 months.
Is it safe to have both procedures at once?
Yes, when performed by a specialist plastic surgeon, combining the procedures is both safe and highly effective. It spares you the need to undergo two separate general anaesthetics and recoveries. Because it requires delicate balancing of skin tension and implant volume, it is vital to choose a surgeon highly experienced in this specific combination.
How do we choose the right implant size?
During your consultation, we take precise measurements of your chest wall and existing breast tissue. We prioritize a harmonious, proportionate result. We will discuss various implant profiles and volumes to ensure the final outcome seamlessly matches your aesthetic goals without placing undue tension on the newly lifted skin.
Restore Volume, Reclaim Your Shape
Take the first step toward a beautifully positioned, natural contour. Contact our team today to schedule your private mastopexy augmentation consultation at secretary@mrchrismacdonald.com