A Breast Reduction Includes a Lift. Does a Breast Lift Include a Reduction?

A common question patients ask is whether or not they will get a breast lift during a breast reduction. The answer is yes! Virtually all breast reduction techniques utilize almost identical incision patterns and concepts so that the breast is reshaped, the breast mound lifted and the nipple position is elevated and the aerola often downsized. A mastopexy or breast lift differs in that usually there is not much reduction almost always just skin, but the breasts tissue is elevated and the nipple is repositioned and usually the areola is reduced as well. A breast lift can involve reduction as well without being a formal breast reduction. In fact, some believe that a breast reduction of less than 200-300 g should really just be considered a lift. However, a patient with smaller breasts having 300 g breast reduction may achieve, proportionately, a very large change in size and a true reduction. Dr. Lyle will often categorize a small reduction as a breast lift but it is somewhat a semantics issue. The main advantage of calling it a mastopexy is that the cost might be somewhat lower. Patients wishing more volume will usually opt for an implant too. This 34-year-old woman wanted a breast lift and small amount of reduction she had less than 100 g of skin and mostly fatty tissue removed and was happy with her lifted appearance and being somewhat smaller.