Will You Regret Not Adding Implants to Your Breast Lift?

Updated for 2026

You’re tired of seeing your breasts sag and are ready to do something about it. A breast lift can be a real confidence booster and can make it easier to purchase bras and tops. But you don’t have to get a lift alone – you can add an augmentation as well.

Take a look at the breakdown of some of the reasons why you might consider getting breast lift on its own or with implants to help you plan your perfect procedure.

Breast Lift without Implants

There is nothing wrong with getting a lift without implants. If you are happy with your current cup size but want perkier, firmer breasts, a lift on its own could accomplish what you want. Dr. Chang and Dr. Wang typically use a short-scar or vertical technique, with incisions around the areola and a vertical line down to the breast crease, to remove excess skin and reshape the breast tissue you already have.

Just keep in mind that the added firmness won’t equal what you can get with an augmentation, and a lift tends to not enhance the cleavage or add fullness to the upper part of the breast. Skipping implants also means a shorter procedure and one less thing to think about down the road, since implants are not meant to last a lifetime and may eventually need to be replaced.

Does a Breast Lift Make Your Breasts Smaller?

A breast lift does not remove breast tissue, which is what gives your natural breasts their size, but it does remove excess skin and tighten remaining tissue. This can sometimes give the illusion of a smaller breast size, when the reality is the volume stayed the same, it was just repositioned to a firmer and more youthful shape and form.

Therefore, if you want an increase in size, you need to add volume separately. This can be done with implants or fat transfer, which uses liposuction to remove fat from another area of your body, like the abdomen or thighs, before it’s purified and injected into the breast. Fat transfer gives a subtle, natural-feeling boost, typically one cup size or less, while implants offer a more predictable, longer-lasting increase in volume.

Breast Lift with Implants

When you opt for both a lift and augmentation, you get all the benefits of a lift, plus those of implants. This means additional cleavage, better control over breast shape and the chance to achieve an hourglass figure if you don’t already have one. Combining the two adds about 30 minutes to your time in the operating room, but it means one surgery and one recovery period instead of two separate procedures down the line. You will also choose between saline and silicone implants, placed above or below the chest muscle, so Dr. Chang or Dr. Wang can tailor the size, shape and feel of your results to match the fuller, lifted look you’re going for.

Saline implants are filled with sterile saltwater after they are placed, which allows for a smaller incision, and they are FDA-approved starting at age 18. Silicone implants come prefilled with a cohesive gel that closely mimics natural breast tissue and are FDA-approved for patients 22 and older. Both come in a range of sizes and profiles, and implants can be placed above or below the chest muscle. Dr. Chang or Dr. Wang will help you choose based on your chest width, existing tissue and the look you want.

How Does Recovery Differ?

Recovery is fairly similar either way, though adding implants extends the procedure by about 30 minutes and can mean a bit more swelling in the first week. Most patients rest fully for the first two days, then ease back into light activity. Plan on 1 to 2 weeks off work, and avoid strenuous exercise or heavy lifting for 4 to 6 weeks. Swelling, bruising and temporary numbness are normal in the early stages, and it can take several months for implants to settle fully and for final results to show.

How Do I Know Which Is Right for Me?

Several factors go into whether a lift alone or a lift with breast augmentation makes more sense for you. Your current breast size, how much sagging you have and your skin’s elasticity all play a role. Women who like their existing volume but want a firmer, higher profile usually do well with a lift alone. On the other hand, those who have lost volume from weight changes, pregnancy or breastfeeding often need implants to restore what time and nursing changed, rather than just repositioning the tissue they have left.

Ultimately, neither option is inherently better than the other – which is right for you comes down to your current shape and goals.

To discuss your options, schedule a consultation with Dr. Chang or Dr. Wang by calling our Columbia, Maryland office at 410-740-9330 or filling out our contact form.