Category Archives: Breast Lift

When it comes to cosmetic breast surgery, every woman has unique goals! Some women wish their breasts were larger, and find breast augmentation with implants to be a great surgical option for them. Other women are happy with their breast size, but disappointed that aging, post-pregnancy, or unlucky genetics that have resulted in a sagging bust line. Still others desire larger breasts and a youthful lift, and choose to undergo a breast lift with implants. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Traci Temmen recognizes that every woman is different, with unique goals and priorities. She enjoys working with each one to form a personalized surgical plan that makes their dreams come true. This blog post will talk about a few of the unique surgical options available to patients considering cosmetic breast surgery, including breast implants, breast lift, and the combination procedure. While going over these options, we will also answer the common patient concern, “Will a breast lift make my breasts look smaller?”

During breast augmentation with implants, patients have the option of selecting saline or silicone breast implants that sit within the breast pocket, adding beautiful shape and volume to the breasts. Saline implants have an outer shell and are filled with a sterile saline solution after implantation (like a water balloon). In contrast, silicone implants are made of solid silicone throughout that more closely mimics breast tissue. As part of her thorough consultation and evaluation process, Dr. Temmen goes over the different implant types, shapes, and sizes with each patient to help them select the best option for them. The primary purpose of breast implants is to add round, full volume to the breasts, helping women feel more confident and attractive in clothing, bathing suits, or wearing nothing at all!

During a breast lift, excess sagging tissue is surgically removed and the breasts are lifted to a higher, more youthful position on the chest. This procedure is highly effective way to correct breast “ptosis” or sagging. There are different degrees of ptosis, which Dr. Temmen assesses by performing a careful physical examination and measurements in the office, including the distance from the nipples to the crease underneath the breasts (or inframammary fold), and if the nipples are facing forward or pointing down. Assessing the degree of ptosis helps her create a precise surgical plan to meet the patient’s goals. The main goal of a breast lift is to correct sagging and elevate the bust line so it appears perkier and more youthful.

Now that we’ve introduced breast implantation and breast lift, let’s briefly cover the combination procedure. During the combination breast lift with implants, Dr. Temmen performs both procedures simultaneously in the operating room, sparing the patient from having multiple surgeries. This is a great option for many women who want to increase their breast size while also eliminating sagging and creating a perkier bust line. This combination procedure allows for complete transformation of the breasts, making it a popular choice! Dr. Temmen performs this combination procedure for her patients all the time, creating truly stunning results!

Let’s conclude this post by answering the common question, “Will a breast lift make my breasts smaller?” In a literal sense, yes, a breast lift on its own removes tissue from the breasts without adding anything back. However, most patients find that visually, their breasts actually appear fuller after a breast lift. In others words, their cup size may slightly smaller, but the cup is much fuller. Patients notice this change the most in the upper pole of the breast that is most impacted by gravity. By taking away excess saggy and loose tissue, a breast lift tightens the remaining skin and tissue into a round, full shape. In summary, women looking for a true increase in breast size will need implants along with their lift, but those who would be happy with perkier, fuller-looking breasts may find that a breast lift on its own meets their goals.

Dr. Traci Temmen is highly skilled and experienced in all kinds of cosmetic breast surgery, including breast augmentation with implants, breast lift, and combined lift with implants. Patients love her gentle bedside manner and commitment to perfection, making her one of the most highly rated plastic surgeons in Tampa. To see real examples of patient results for yourself, simply navigate to the Gallery tab of this website. To learn more about if one of these transformative procedures may be a good fit for you, call 813-771-6393 to schedule your one-on-one consultation with Dr. Traci Temmen today!

Back pain is an exceedingly common complaint among Americans, affecting hundreds of thousands of people per year. While there are many possible causes of back pain, women have to deal with an additional cause that may not come to mind as often – breast size. For some women, losing weight can help decrease the size of enlarged breasts, thus decreasing back pain. For others, making a simple change such as finding a more supportive bra can help redistribute the weight across the shoulders, decreasing pain. Unfortunately, for a large number of women, these solutions simply don’t work. This can feel very discouraging for many women left wondering if there’s another option. Fortunately, there is a solution! Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Traci Temmen offers safe and effective surgical options for patients looking to decrease the size of their breasts and improve their quality of life. This blog post will discuss the similarities and differences between two common procedures, breast lift and breast reduction, and address which option may be better for women looking for relief from back pain due to heavy breasts.

First, let’s break down the differences between a breast lift and breast reduction. The goals of a breast lift include raising the nipple-areolar complex to a higher position, tightening the skin envelope of the breast, and improving upper breast fullness and shape. To achieve these goals, Dr. Temmen surgically repositions the nipple and breast tissue to a higher position on the chest wall, making the breasts look perkier. Additionally, excess loose and sagging skin is removed during this process to tighten the skin of the breasts and create a fuller, more youthful shape. During a breast lift, the removal of excess sagging skin and superficial tissue generally reduces cup size by about one letter (i.e. D to C). Although the breasts are technically smaller, they typically appear fuller after a lift due to the tightening and lifting effects of the surgery.

A breast reduction builds upon the procedure for a breast lift by adding surgical excision of excess breast tissue. This allows breast size to be decreased much more significantly than with a breast lift. It is important to note that a breast reduction still includes all of the elements of a breast lift that eliminate sagging, including the repositioning of the nipple-areola complex and skin tightening to create a perkier appearance. The main difference is simply that a reduction also removes a significant amount of breast tissue to make the breasts the desired size. Both breast lift and reduction may also include resizing of the nipple-areola complex for those desiring smaller or more symmetrical areolas.

Scar locations for these procedures vary depending on the degree of breast sagginess and/or enlargement. Patients requiring a small breast reduction or lift may achieve beautiful with a single scar placed around the nipple areolar complex (the border between the more pigmented areola and the rest of the breast). For patients requiring a larger reduction with a more significant degree of breast sagging, it is necessary to add a vertical scar from the bottom of the nipple-areolar complex to 2-4 cm above the breast fold at the chest wall. While patients often worry about this scar, it typically heals very well and can become virtually invisible after a year. Rarely, patients desiring a drastic reduction with extreme degrees of breast sagging may need a third horizontal scar placed at the breast fold. Traci Temmen understands that scars are a source of anxiety for many patients, and is committed to forming a personalized surgical plan with each patient to address all of her concerns and ensure the best possible aesthetic outcome that meets her goals.

Let’s end this post with a quick discussion of the role of breast size in back pain, and which surgical option can most effectively mitigate this. If you think about it, it makes sense that heavy breasts cause back pain. The breasts add substantial weight to the chest, which in turn exerts excess pressure on the joints and muscles of the back, causing pain. Over time, this can take a heavy toll on the body. Breast weight largely depends on breast size, and can vary from less than a pound to over five pounds for well-endowed ladies! While supportive bras may help redistribute this weight, unfortunately the amount of weight remain the same unless the breast size is reduced. For women with who are primarily concerned with the saggy appearance of their breasts rather than the size, a breast lift may be a good option. However, women with enlarged breast size that is causing secondary issues such as back pain will likely benefit more from a breast reduction, as this does much more to remove excess tissue from the breasts, and decrease the amount of weight.

Deciding the best option for you can feel daunting, but luckily you’re not on your own! Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Traci Temmen offers one-on-one consultations to all of her patients that includes a detailed discussion of the patient’s past medical and surgical history and goals for what she hopes to achieve from surgery. During this visit, Dr. Temmen also performs a thorough physical exam and takes precise measurements of the breasts to create a personalized surgical plan for each patient. She also takes the time to answer any questions the patient has about surgery, recovery, outcomes, and anything else the patient has concerns about. Dr. Temmen recognizes that surgery of any kind is an anxiety-inducing process for most patients, and is committed to helping each patient feel comfortable and cared for from initial consultation to recovery.

Dr. Traci Temmen is an expert at cosmetic breast surgery, and frequently performs breast lifts and breast reductions with beautiful results. She enjoys working with each patient to help them reach their goals, and love using her skills to restore patient’s confidence and quality of life. If you are interested in learning more about breast lift, reduction, or any other cosmetic plastic surgery you are interested in, please call 813-771-6393 to book your one-on-one consultation with Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Traci Temmen, MD, today.

Gravity may keep our feet firmly planted on the ground, but unfortunately it also has many unwanted effects on the body! The effects of gravity in conjunction with aging and weight fluctuations can lead to sagging skin almost anywhere on the body, including the face, neck, and breasts. This post will discuss one surgical solution many women are interested in learning about to reverse sagging of the breasts called mastopexy, or breast lift. First, I will explain this procedure and its benefits, before addressing a common question asked by many women considering this procedure, “Will a breast lift reduce my cup size?”

Sagging breasts is one the most common complaints women have about their bodies, making them feel less attractive, self-conscious, or unable to wear the clothes they want. Unfortunately, this problem is almost inevitable as we age and our tissues lose their elasticity. Dr. Traci Temmen understands the toll this problem can have on a woman’s quality of life, and is happy to offer her surgical expertise to help many women regain their confidence. As with any surgery, the first vital step is to meet with a board-certified plastic surgeon who’s experienced in the area of interest and discuss your goals for the surgery as well as thoroughly review your medical and surgical history. During this visit, Dr. Temmen also performs a thorough physical exam and takes measurements of the breasts to precisely plan for surgery. On the day of surgery, the patient will meet her entire care team dedicated to her safety and comfort before being taken to the OR. During surgery, an incision will be made around the nipple-areola complex, or the border between the colored skin around the nipple and the rest of the breast. This allows the nipple and areola to be lifted to a higher position on the breast, as well as reduced in size if that is something the patient desires. For women with a mild degree of ptosis (sagging), this incision may be all that is needed. For those with moderate to severe ptosis, a second vertical incision may be made that connects the bottom of the circular incision to 2-4 cm above the breast fold. This incision is important for further tightening the skin and tissues in patients with higher degrees of breast sagging. Patients may be familiar with the combination of these two incisions commonly called the “lollipop incision”. While this may seem like a large incision to many patients, most find that it fades significantly and becomes only barely noticeable over time. Patients will discuss incision size and location with Dr. Temmen in the consultation and decide together if the patient’s goals are best achieved through just the peri-areolar incision or the combination lollipop incision.

Now that we have gone through the basics of how this procedure works, let’s address the common question, “Will a breast lift reduce my cup size?” The way that a breast lift works is by removing excess skin and tissue to lift and tighten the breasts. Since this involves removing some excess tissue, most women will find that a breast lift reduces their cup size by about one letter. However, most women are significantly happier with their overall breast appearance because their breasts are much perkier, and actually appear fuller despite being slightly smaller because the tissues are tightened. For women who want to maintain or increase their breast size after a breast lift, adding implants during this procedure may be an excellent option. This couples the benefits of reducing sagging and lifting the breasts to a more youthful position with a simultaneous increase in volume to give additional fullness to the breasts. Which option is better for the patient depends on their lifestyle, anatomy, and how they ultimately want to look, and can be discussed in detail with their plastic surgeon during their consultation.

Dr. Traci Temmen is highly trained and experienced in cosmetic breast surgery, including breast lift, breast augmentation using implants, and combined breast lift with implants. She enjoys working with each individual patient to help them reach their goals, and patients appreciate her commitment to perfection and gentle bedside manner. If you are interested in exploring one of the surgical options discussed or any other plastic surgery you are interested in, call 813-771-6393 to book your one-on-one consultation with Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Traci Temmen, MD, today.