Breast Lift Cost & Candidacy

Reviewed by Walter Erhardt, MD

The cost of a breast lift involves the anesthesia fee, the facility fee and the surgeon’s fee. If your breast lift is done in conjunction with breast augmentation with breast implants, there will also be an implant fee.

The surgeon’s fee is the most difficult to predict without first knowing the extent of the procedure and the qualifications of the plastic surgeon. The geographical location of the practice also plays a role in your cost. Surgeons who practice in highly populated urban areas tend to charge more because their overhead is higher and they are in greater demand than their counterparts in rural or suburban areas.

The average cost of a breast lift varies from $3,500 to $6,000. Cost for anesthesia ranges from $1,000 to $1,300. The facility fee (or hospital fee) ranges from $500 to $1,500. The remaining cost is the surgeon’s fee.

If more than one procedure is done at the same time, your total cost may be higher. Combining procedures, such as with a mommy makeover, may be cost-effective in the long run as you only pay one facility and one anesthesia fee (these fees may be higher for longer surgeries). That said, combining plastic surgery procedures can also increase your risks.

Your Breast Lift Consultation

Each breast surgery is unique. Your surgeon will give you a quote after he or she has examined your breasts and discussed your expectations. (Before scheduling your consultation, check out these breast lift before and after pictures to get an idea of what a breast lift can accomplish.)

Choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeryand has extensive experience in all breast-related procedures can help minimize your breast lift risk factors, maximize your satisfaction with the cosmetic results and help ensure a smooth breast lift surgery recovery. Remember, shopping for the best price without first considering the background and experience of the surgeon may be a mistake.

Breast Lift Payments

Breast lift surgery is primarily performed for cosmetic reasons and is rarely covered by insurance. When you visit your plastic surgeon, ask about available patient financing plans. Start your search for the right surgeon now.

Are You a Good Candidate?

Women typically choose breast lift surgery to restore their youthful appearance after the effects of aging and gravity have caused sagging.

Pregnancy, breast feeding and significant weight loss can also leave breasts stretched and sagging. A breast lift may help.

In some cases, a breast augmentation or breast reduction patient may require a breast lift to achieve a fully satisfactory outcome. The breast auto augmentation procedure combines breast augmentation with a breast lift to rearrange a woman’s existing breast tissue for more projection and lift.

Breast lift is also sometimes combined with surgery for the treatment of tuberous breasts, a congenital deformity characterized by long, narrow breasts with tight skin between the areolas and the base of the breasts.

Best Candidates for Breast Lift

Breast lift surgery is effective in lifting and reshaping saggy breasts for both smaller and larger breasted patients. In some cases, smaller breasts may retain their lift results longer after a breast lift than larger breasts. This is because the weight of larger breasts works against the changes made during the plastic surgery.

If you plan to have children in the future you may want to postpone cosmetic breast surgery until after pregnancy and after you are done breast feeding. Pregnancy may stretch the breasts and may reduce the volume of the breasts. Both of these factors may counter the benefits of breast lift surgery. In fact, breast skin ages over time, which may impact breast sagging and the appearance of a breast lift.

Improving your breast shape can improve self confidence and change how you are perceived by others. The procedure, however, does not completely change who you are and may not meet unrealistic expectations you may have.

The procedure also does not permanently change the breast shape and firmness. As time marches on, you may expect the effects of aging and gravity to continue. In these cases, a secondary revision surgery may be required. The best candidates for this cosmetic surgery are women who are emotionally well-adjusted, have realistic expectations, and understand the procedure thoroughly.