Updated May 2025
Women choose cosmetic breast surgery for many reasons. Some want to enhance their naturally developed breasts for the sake of their appearance or self-confidence. Others may have experienced changes to their breast shape or size due to weight fluctuations, childbearing, the natural aging process, or a combination.
Most patients who’ve had breast enhancement surgery say they feel better about their bodies and are more self-assured after their procedure, but which procedure is best? Women are often unsure whether they need a breast lift or augmentation when they visit our Langley, BC, practice serving metro Vancouver. This post will describe the two surgeries and the differences between them to help you decide what may be best for you.
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What Is a Breast Lift?
A breast lift is a surgical procedure that reshapes your breast tissue to optimize proportions and contours. It’s a popular choice for women who feel confident about how their breasts appear in a supportive bra but find that the shape and position of their breasts are not ideal without support.
The procedure involves removing excess breast skin, redistributing breast tissue, and optimizing the position and size of the nipple-areolar complex (NAC).
Does a breast lift change breast size?
Once the excess skin is removed, the breasts may look smaller; however, breast lifts do not change breast size. An auto-augmentation, which involves repositioning and redistributing tissue of the lower breast, can improve the fullness of the upper breast and cleavage in certain patients. Breast implants, fat grafting, or both are necessary when more volume is desired.
Does a breast lift leave scars?
The scars associated with a breast lift are a necessary component of the procedure. In most cases, scars are placed around the border of the areola, down the middle of the lower breast, and along the fold of the breast. Small improvements to the diameter of the position of the nipple and areola can be achieved with more limited scars. However, lifting the entire breast mound is often needed for the best final shape. Scars will fade with time as your body heals.
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What Is Breast Augmentation?
Breast augmentation is a surgical procedure involving the use of breast implants, fat grafting, or both to enhance the volume of the breasts. This procedure can provide one or more of the following benefits:
- Increase the size of naturally small breasts
- Restore breast size after weight loss or pregnancy
- Bring a more balanced look to breasts of different sizes or shapes
- Improve proportions
With breast augmentation, the final breast shape is determined by the combination of your existing breast tissue and the shape of the breast implant resulting in a larger and more rounded version of your current breast shape.
How are breast augmentation procedures personalized?
Achieving the best results requires an evaluation of your tissues as well as your goals, combined with the expertise that comes with experience. Patients considering breast augmentation have several options to consider:
- Implant style – cohesive silicone gel or saline filled
- Implant size – a combination of implant diameter and projection
- Implant positioning – behind or in front of the chest muscle
- Incision location – armpit (axilla), along the areolar border (periareolar), or under the breast (inframammary)
What is breast augmentation with fat grafting?
Fat grafting involves harvesting fat with liposuction from an area it’s not wanted, such as the thighs or belly, and injecting it into the breasts after it’s purified. It can be a good option for targeted augmentation of the cleavage line or upper breast for a subtle breast augmentation or to enhance breast lift results.
What Is the Difference Between the Procedures?
Which procedure is right for you? Here is a comparison to help you decide.
Breast Lift: What It Does and Does Not Do
- Corrects sagging to raise and reshape the breasts
- Resizes and repositions the nipple and areola
- Does not change breast size
Breast Augmentation: What It Does and Does Not Do
- Increases breast size
- Elevates nipple position slightly (with certain implant placement techniques)
- Does not correct moderate to significant sagging
- Does not change areola size or shape
Combining Procedures
Women who have experienced significant weight fluctuations or have breastfed are often concerned about both breast size and shape. They require breast lift with implants to attain their desired results.
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The combination of breast augmentation and breast lifting is one of the most challenging cosmetic procedures performed as well as one of the most satisfying for patients. In some cases, a breast lift will be completed first and then an augmentation will be done after healing from the breast lift is complete.
At YES, you can rely on our experience and expertise in cosmetic breast surgery to customize Your Esthetic SolutionTM. Browse our before-and-after breast lift and augmentation galleries to see the results we’ve achieved for previous patients and get an idea of what to expect.
Request a Consultation
If you want to speak with one of our experienced plastic surgeons about your breast enhancement options, call our Langley office located in the geographic centre of metro Vancouver at (604) 888-9378 or request a consultation using our online form.
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