Breast Implants with Lift

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in breast augmentation and a tummy tuck. I have had two consults which were slightly different. My concerns are dog ears from the tummy tuck and scarring from performing a lollipop breast lift. After discussing it with my husband I don’t want to get a lift as I am not comfortable with the scarring. I would like to look good in a bathing suit and have a full C. Right now I am a deflated A. I am 5’4″ 139lbs. Last question, regarding my flanks, both doctors agreed that it is mostly loose skin on my flanks, is there much I can do about that if I got a tummy tuck to make a more contoured waistline all around? 

Looking forward to hearing from you. 

A: Thank you for sending your pictures. What I can tell you is the following:

1) You can not have breast implants without a lift. You have too much sagging breast tissue and breast implants alone will produce a poor result with breast tissue hanging off the end of the implants. Breast implants do not have any lifting properties. They merely take what you have and make it bigger…or in your case will make the sagging look even worse. Your options are to either live with what you have or to accept the scars that are needed from a combined breast implants with a lift procedure.

2) The only way to improve the loose skin in the flanks is to carry the tummy tuck incision further back to cut out this tissue as well. This creates another scar concern. Thus you either leave the loose flanks alone or accept the longer scar to get tighten that area as well.

You face a classic dilemma that many breast and abdominal contouring patients face…whether a scar is more aesthetically acceptable than the original loose skin problem.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana