To implant or not?

When I first started thinking about breast lift, I would never would consider an implant.  I am 50 years old and have had big breasts since I was in my teens (DD- G).  In the 80s as a teenager, I did a lot of horseback riding.  Trotting, cantering and these girls were not supported by sports bras.  So I never had the perky kind.

Now that I am totally flat and will eventually undergo a lift and told that I may be a b/c cup and while I know the lift will be beneficial.  I am thinking about fullness.  When I look at pictures of breast augmentation - I like the look of a full breast (implants).

What were some of your decisions to implant or not and why?

I opted to get a fat transfer and no implants.  I only had a very minor lift, more for repositioning of the nipples, evening out the size of my breasts, and maybe just taking in the tiniest bit of excess skin.  The fat transfer helped to give me back a good bit of my original fullness, though I realize that I don't have the same perk as breasts with implants.  Mainly, I didn't want to have to deal with replacing implants every so often given that I'm only 30.... that's still a lifetime of maintenance on implants.  I also didn't really need a significant size increase.  If you really want a bigger size, then implants might be for you.  Fat transfers can really only do so much.  Ultimately though, it's a personal decision!

I wasn't interested in implants, but before I could get that out, my surgeon told me that he didn't recommend implants because of my age (mid-50s) and the condition of my skin.  His experience is that the implants wouldn't hold for long in the correct position, would put extra tension on the breasts, and would result in them drooping again.  Yes, it would be nice to have the upper pole fullness, but I'm really happy with just the lift - and there are always push-up bras!

For his patients with really droopy breasts, my plastic surgeon does 2 steps- 1st lift, then 3-6 months later implants. It gives a better chance of the implants staying up where they are supposed to be.

I had the lift with the intention of getting the implants at a later date. I chose not to get the implants. I am about to turn 50. My push up bras give the illusion of upper pole fullness. I am too old to worry about foreign objects in my body. I do not want to worry about them breaking or getting them changed out in 10 years. I am happy with my lift.

You know that is what Capella offers. If you choose the implants later he charges just for the cost of the implants.  I thought about living with them for a while.  I am just so excited to finally make a decision on the plastic surgery.   I know when I look at this body - I am somewhere under this skin and it would be nice to actually buy a bathing suit and be comfortable in it.

I wonder how implants would look like in 20 years - I might regret it.

If you are choosing Dr. Capella I guess you know that he prefers to do it in 2 steps. Lift and then implant. That actually made it easier for me to decide. I think I am fine without any implant, but we'll see how I feel a year from now :-) Good luck!

Have you used Capella for your plastics?  I was so impressed by his work.  I am looking forward to the LBL and at least that will give me some contour and stop these damn rashes that keep occurring.  The arms and breast will need to wait until the following summer.  I do not want to take out a loan or borrow from my retirement.  Thank you for your help.

Hi Cindy, You responded to my post on being 8 weeks out from surgery with Dr. Capella :-) He was great! You can see all my posts and pics from the beginning if you like. Good luck.

Yes - the arms are outstanding.  I think you have healed quite nicely.  The scabbing on the back will eventually go away.  I know I need to book the surgery soon.  I wish I could do everything at once, but financially it is not possible.

I have been struggling with this decision as well. I am 57. Always large chested... with just a breast lift don't even know if I will be a C cup... Dr. Michaels does fat transfer, my problem is I don't have much local underarm fat to transfer. In our world, I guess that is a good problem...but not so much. 46DDD/DDDD to 36B...???? I am afraid I will not feel like me.

I was just at Dr, Michaels office discussing it yesterday and trying on Boobs...LOL... My decision was to go with the breast lift first and then see how I feel. I do have a smaller body to go with those smaller breasts, so maybe I will be OK. The other option we discussed is fat transfer can be done later from fat that is lipo'd from another part of the body like my thighs. But for whatever medical reason he told me...but I forget... that type of fat transfer doesn't work at same time as body lift. At the time of breast Lift you transfer from local fat... if that makes sense.

Either choice I had in addition to the Breast Lift was going to cost more.... If I get the implants and don't like them there is no going back. If I am not happy and decide later to go back for implants I will do it because I am sure I want them. Fat transfer will still be an option too, but it can't make you as big as implants.

Actually I am glad you posted this...I needed to write this out to really think about how I feel...very cathartic.