Is it a Breast Lift or Breast Reduction?-It's Both!- Raleigh, NC*

Many women desire reduction of large pendulous drooping breasts but would like to keep volume. Although many patients qualify for a breast reduction the amount of tissue to be removed would be prohibitive for their size requirements/ desires and in this case the patient would be better off with a self-pay operation so that they can preserve more tissue. Many patients ask to have a breast reduction and a breast lift. A breast reduction always involves a breast lift pattern and involves removal of significant amount of breast tissue and downsizing of the breasts. A breast lift or mastopexy is very often done in the same fashion as a breast reduction in terms of incisional patterns and elevation of the nipples and narrowing of the breast width with reshaping. However usually, there is minimal breast tissue removal. The size frequently will be somewhat smaller. This patient desired breast reduction but she would require much more tissue than she was willing to sacrifice. With this in mind she underwent a small breast reduction or breast lift. She did have removal of more tissue on the left side than the right because of asymmetry and only had about 300 g of tissue removed. She was very pleased with her cup size which remained in the D range having previously been triple D.