Breast Augmentation or Breast Lift: Which to Include in Your Mommy Makeover

Pregnancy and breastfeeding have major effects on moms as their bodies do extraordinary things to create new life — many women experience increased weight gain, sagging skin, stretch marks, deflated breasts, and separation of the abdominal walls after giving birth. Mommy makeovers are a holistic and customizable surgery featuring a suite of procedures to restore women’s bodies to their pre-baby contour. Patients tailor the surgery to their specific needs with the most common procedures in a mommy makeover being liposuction, tummy tucks, and Brazilian Butt Lifts. One almost universal element is breast augmentation, however, the type of “boob job” varies depending on the patient’s individual body goals. For some, restoring volume is a high priority while others may be more focused on correcting sagging. No matter what kind of procedures a patient chooses, the team at Barrett Beverly Hills offers extremely comprehensive mommy makeovers with meticulous results that fit anyone’s needs. Keep reading to learn more about the different types of breast augmentations to see what works best for you.

What is a mommy makeover?

A mommy makeover is a suite of procedures for women looking to rejuvenate their bodies after pregnancy. It contains multiple surgeries done in tandem, saving time and money while providing a life-changing aesthetic makeover. By combining procedures, mommy makeovers offer transformative and natural-looking results that last a lifetime in a single surgery. Common surgeries include tummy tucks, breast augmentation, liposuction, labiaplasty, and Brazilian Butt Lifts to target all the areas impacted by pregnancy. 

Women who undergo a mommy makeover typically experience one or more of the following:

• Deflated or sagging breasts.
• An abdominal bulge due to muscle separation.
• Excess or sagging skin in the abdomen or breast area.
• Isolated fat deposits that do not respond to diet or exercise. 
• Loss of volume and shape in the buttocks. 

Who is a good candidate for a mommy makeover?

Doctors recommend that patients wait until they’re finished having children before undergoing a mommy makeover as future pregnancies may interfere with results. Patients should be in good general health, with a practical idea of realistic results. 

What is breast augmentation?

Breast augmentation refers to cosmetic procedures utilized to enhance the look, volume, or shape of a patient’s breasts. It is one of the most popular facets of a mommy makeover because outside of aging, puberty, and weight loss, pregnancy and breastfeeding have the biggest effect on breast volume and elasticity. 

What is a breast lift?

Breast lifts are ideal for patients experiencing drooping after breastfeeding, breast lifts raise and reshape breasts that have lost their firmness and elasticity, returning them to a more youthful, lifted state. Lifts can be combined with other procedures like implants, reductions, or fat transfers to achieve optimal results. To perform a breast lift, the surgeon makes incisions to remove excess skin, reposition downward-facing nipples, and correct any asymmetry. For some patients, only a lift is necessary to restore laxity and improve contour, but some patients may want to increase or decrease their cup size. In those cases, a breast augmentation will achieve ideal results.

What kind of breast augmentation is best to include in a mommy makeover?

There is no right or wrong type of augmentation for a mommy makeover. Instead, it depends on the patient’s goals and how their body uniquely responds to pregnancy. During the initial consultation, the patient and surgeon will work closely together to determine what procedures will best achieve the results the patient envisions. However, it is good to go into the consultation with an idea of what’s possible. 

Here is a breakdown of the various types of breast augmentation that can be combined in a mommy makeover:

Implants: Patients looking to restore volume may prefer adding implants to their procedure. Implants increase cup size and enhance the shape of the chest by using silicone or saline to create the ideal volume and shape in the breast. Barrett Plastic Surgery sets the standard for natural results and minimal downtime, offering various shapes, sizes, and textures of implants while utilizing cutting-edge techniques. Many people opt for the popular gummy bear implants that provide a more natural-looking tear-drop shape for the breasts. 

How does the surgeon perform a breast augmentation with implants?: To perform a breast augmentation with implants, the surgeon will make incisions either inside the armpit, beneath the breasts, or around the areolar to insert the implants. Silicone implants are pre-filled before the procedure while saline implants are filled after the surgeon places them in the patient’s chest. After the surgeon places the implants, on-table sizing is used to ensure the implants will successfully achieve your goals and avoid any asymmetries. Incisions are then closed using a layered closure technique to minimize tension and decrease inflammation, ensuring minimal scarring and optimal healing.

Fat Transfer: Fat transfers are a less invasive option for increasing breast cup size. By utilizing liposuction, patients can use their own tissue to add volume to the breasts. Fat transfers are ideal for those looking for a modest increase (1-2 cup sizes) with the most natural look and feel. This is a two-in-one procedure, as patients will benefit from the slimming effects of liposuction in body areas with excess fat.

How does the surgeon perform a fat transfer?: First, the surgeon makes a small incision to insert a small tube called a cannula that will harvest fat from targeted areas and inject it into the breasts. Surgeons at Barrett Beverly Hills utilize the revolutionary S.A.F.E. liposuction technique, which uses mechanical agitation to loosen fat cells before removal, successfully preserving as many cells as possible for the injection process. 

Breast Reduction: Some women, especially those who had full breasts pre-baby, experience a significant increase in breast volume after pregnancy. Excessively large breasts can lead to a slew of issues like neck, back, and shoulder pain, overall discomfort, ill-fitting clothing, poor posture, and skin indentations from bra straps. Breast reductions are an excellent choice for those seeking to reduce their cup size and the procedure pairs wonderfully with a lift to reverse the damage from sagging.

How does the surgeon perform a breast reduction?: The surgeon will make an incision around the areola and vertically beneath the bottom of the breast to remove tissue and excess skin. Barrett Plastic Surgery practices a lollipop incision technique to minimize scarring and ensure comfort during the recovery process. Reductions pair well with lifts to restore the pre-pregnancy breast position.

How do I choose which augmentation is right for me?

While there are many options for breast augmentation as part of a mommy makeover, the decision of which procedure to choose is entirely personal. Patients considering the surgery should think deeply about their body goals — knowing if you want to add volume, adjust position, or change breast shape is crucial when deciding what to do. Researching different options and taking the time to create realistic goals will help during this process. Being open and honest with the plastic surgeon during the initial consultation will also help in decision-making. 

The bottom line is that mommy makeovers are a transformative surgery tailored to the patient's needs. When choosing what kind of breast augmentation to include, it’s important to consider your unique body goals. 

Here is a helpful TLDR to break down the different options:

• Lifts are ideal for patients experiencing dropping and are often combined with other procedures for the best results
• Implants can be used to increase cup size and enhance the shape of breasts
• Fat transfers utilize liposuction to graft excess fat from other body areas for a more natural option for increasing cup size
• Reductions are popular for patients looking to decrease their cup size

What are the next steps?

If you’re interested in a mommy makeover with a breast augmentation, Barrett Beverly Hills offers in-person and virtual consultations for potential patients. Our practice sets the standard for natural-looking results with a holistic approach to effectively minimize post-surgical downtime and scarring. For more information about us, call (310) 398-2648 or complete a virtual consultation form. Keep up with us on social media via TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, Realself, and YouTube, and subscribe to our blog for updates. We look forward to guiding you on your journey!

‍