--- title: "Breast Lift with Implants" --- A breast lift with implants, or augmentation-mastopexy, is a single-stage operation that places a breast implant to restore volume while performing a mastopexy to raise the breast, remove stretched skin, and reposition the nipple-areolar complex higher. It is designed for breasts that have both sagged and lost fullness, typically after pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight loss, or aging, where augmentation alone would add volume without correcting position. ## What it does The combination solves two problems that often occur together but need different fixes. - Adds volume. An implant restores the fullness a sagging, deflated breast has lost, including upper fullness. - Raises and reshapes. A lift removes excess skin, tightens the tissue, and moves the nipple to a natural height. - Does both in one recovery. One surgery and one healing period rather than two separate operations. The reason to combine them is simple: adding an implant to a sagging breast without a lift only weighs it down further, so the two are planned together. ## How it works The procedure is performed under anesthesia, usually as an outpatient surgery. The surgeon creates the implant pocket and places the implant to restore volume, then removes excess skin, reshapes the breast, and repositions the nipple and areola, with the incision pattern scaled to the degree of sag. Because two forces are being balanced, adding volume while tightening skin, it is a more intricate operation than either alone, which is why planning and judgment matter. Recovery is broadly similar to a lift or augmentation on its own, with most people back to desk work within a week or two and full activity later on the surgeon's guidance. ## One stage or two, and why it is a real choice Most patients have the combination in one surgery, but the plan is individualized, and sometimes staging is safer. ApproachWhat it involvesBest whenCombined, one stageImplant and lift in the same surgeryMost patients wanting both correctedStaged (lift, then implant)Two surgeries months apartSignificant sag, or to protect blood supplyLift aloneReshape and raise, no implantYou do not want more volumeImplant aloneVolume only, minimal sagThe breast has not truly dropped Combining is efficient and works well for most people, but a very ptotic breast or specific tissue concerns can make staging the safer route. A board-certified surgeon recommends one or two stages based on your anatomy. ## What the combination works with This is what the consultation assesses, because volume and position are judged together. What you haveWhat it meansThe planDeflated and dropped breastsVolume loss plus sagImplant plus a lift, one stageVery significant sagHigh-grade ptosisPossibly staged for safetySag with enough natural volumePosition, not volumeA lift alone may be enoughFull but dropped breastsPosition onlyA lift aloneUneven size and positionAsymmetryDifferent volume and lift per side The value is not the list. It is that a board-certified surgeon reads volume and position together and decides whether to combine or stage, so the result is balanced and safe. ## Why Santa Barbara Face & Body The lift-with-implants is one of the more demanding breast operations, because the surgeon is balancing two opposing forces, adding volume while tightening skin, in a single plan. Dr. Polynice is a Mayo-trained, board-certified plastic surgeon focused on breast and body surgery, and he plans the volume and the lift together for a balanced, proportionate result, and is candid when staging the two would be safer for your tissue. A natural, lasting result is the standard here. ## What to expect Dr. Polynice examines your breasts for both position and volume, asks what fullness and shape you want, and explains how the implant and lift work together. He walks through the incision pattern your sag calls for, whether to combine or stage the two for safety, and the scars and recovery honestly. You leave with a single plan that balances volume and position around your anatomy. ## What it costs A lift with implants is quoted by the plan, not by a shelf price, because it depends on the implant, the incision pattern your sag needs, and whether it is done in one stage or two. You will have that number in writing at your consultation, before anything is scheduled. > Combining a Breast Lift with Breast Implants, American Society of Plastic Surgeons (United States). Combining augmentation with a lift addresses lost volume and sagging in a single surgery and recovery; an implant increases size while the lift repositions and reshapes the breast, and adding an implant to a sagging breast without a lift does not correct the droop. — [Combining a Breast Lift with Breast Implants, American Society of Plastic Surgeons](https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/blog/what-are-the-benefits-of-combining-breast-augmentation-and-a-breast-lift) > Breast Lift (Mastopexy), Cleveland Clinic (United States). A breast lift does not change breast size on its own and is often combined with augmentation to increase size or reduction to decrease it; results are visible immediately and settle over the following months. — [Breast Lift](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/23298-breast-lift) ## Breast Lift with Implants in Santa Barbara, CA Combining a lift with implants can restore both position and fullness in a single, thoughtfully planned procedure. Here in Santa Barbara, Dr. Polynice balances shape, size, and placement to create a result that looks natural and holds up beautifully over time. If you're weighing your options, a consultation is the clearest place to start. Fill out the form below or call us at [(805) 764-9074](tel:+18057649074). We'd love to meet you. ```ld+json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Service", "@id": "https://santabarbarafaceandbody.com/treatments/lift-augmentation/#service", "name": "Breast Lift with Implants", "url": "https://santabarbarafaceandbody.com/treatments/lift-augmentation/", "description": "A breast lift with implants, or augmentation-mastopexy, does two jobs in one surgery, an implant adds volume while a lift raises and reshapes the breast. 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At Santa Barbara Face & Body in Santa Barbara, California, a board-certified plastic surgeon plans both together for breasts that have both dropped and deflated, since an implant alone would not correct the sag." }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://santabarbarafaceandbody.com/treatments/lift-augmentation/#webpage" }, "url": "https://santabarbarafaceandbody.com/treatments/lift-augmentation/" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Why can't I just get implants if my breasts are saggy?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Because an implant adds volume but does not lift, adding one to a breast that has dropped tends to make it sag further rather than look perkier. A lift repositions the breast and nipple, and the implant restores fullness, so combining them is what produces a lifted, full result. A surgeon will show you why both are needed in your case." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can it really be done in one surgery?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "For most patients, yes, the implant and the lift are performed in the same operation, which means one anesthesia and one recovery. In cases of very significant sag, or where tissue blood supply is a concern, a surgeon may recommend staging the two months apart for safety. Which is right for you is a judgment made at the consultation." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is recovery harder than a regular augmentation?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "It is broadly similar but can involve a bit more healing because more is done, more skin is removed and the breast is reshaped as well as filled. Most people return to desk work within one to two weeks and resume full activity later on their surgeon's guidance. You will get a recovery timeline specific to your surgery." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How much scarring will there be?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The scars come from the lift part and scale to how much sag is corrected, from an incision around the areola to a fuller pattern, placed to be concealed and fading over time. The implant is placed through the same incisions where possible. Your surgeon will show you the likely pattern for your degree of sag." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Will it last?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The result lasts for years, though it does not stop future aging, gravity, weight change, or pregnancy, which can cause some settling over time, and implants are not lifetime devices. Maintaining a stable weight and finishing childbearing first help the result hold. Your surgeon will give you a realistic picture." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "@id": "https://santabarbarafaceandbody.com/treatments/lift-augmentation/#citation-80d17802", "name": "Combining a Breast Lift with Breast Implants, American Society of Plastic Surgeons", "url": "https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/blog/what-are-the-benefits-of-combining-breast-augmentation-and-a-breast-lift" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "@id": "https://santabarbarafaceandbody.com/treatments/lift-augmentation/#citation-73e7b8e5", "name": "Breast Lift", "url": "https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/23298-breast-lift" } ] } ```