Breast Augmentation & Lift

Westlake Dermatology's West University Houston plastic surgery team performs breast augmentation, breast lift (mastopexy), and combined augmentation-mastopexy. Breast augmentation uses silicone or saline implants to increase volume and projection, with surgeon and patient selecting implant type, profile, and placement based on individual anatomy. Breast lift corrects ptosis — drooping of the breast and nipple-areola complex — by repositioning the nipple and removing excess skin, restoring a more youthful breast contour without implants or combined with them. All procedures are performed under general anaesthesia in an accredited surgical facility.

Breast surgery at Westlake Dermatology West University Houston spans the spectrum from volume enhancement to shape correction and ptosis repair, with board-certified plastic surgeons performing procedures individually tailored to each patient's breast anatomy, body proportions, and aesthetic goals. Breast augmentation uses prosthetic implants — available in silicone gel or saline-filled versions — to increase breast volume, enhance projection, and create a more symmetric and proportionate breast silhouette. Westlake Dermatology's Houston plastic surgeons are proficient in both sub-muscular (submuscular/dual-plane) and pre-pectoral implant placement; the appropriate plane depends on the patient's existing soft tissue coverage, body composition, baseline breast shape, and aesthetic priorities — pre-pectoral placement avoids distortion from pectoral muscle contraction, while sub-muscular placement provides additional soft tissue coverage over the implant upper pole in thin patients. Silicone gel implants are available in round and anatomical (shaped/teardrop) forms, in a range of surface textures, and in profiles from low to extra-high projection; the surgeon and patient collaboratively select the combination that best achieves the desired volume and projection while maintaining natural proportion and fit within the breast footprint. Incision options for augmentation include the inframammary fold (the most commonly used, providing excellent access and a scar concealed in the fold), the periareolar approach (around the lower half of the areolar border), and occasionally the transaxillary approach. Breast lift (mastopexy) addresses ptosis — the descent of the breast tissue and inferior migration of the nipple-areola complex on the breast mound — that occurs as a result of gravity, weight fluctuation, pregnancy and breastfeeding, or natural ageing and skin elasticity loss. The procedure repositions the nipple-areola complex to an anatomically appropriate position on the breast mound, reshapes and tightens the underlying breast parenchyma, and removes the excess skin envelope that creates the characteristic elongated, deflated appearance of the ptotic breast. Scar patterns range from the periareolar donut mastopexy for mild ptosis with minimal skin excess, through the vertical or lollipop mastopexy for moderate ptosis, to the full inverted-T or anchor mastopexy for severe ptosis with significant skin excess. Combined augmentation-mastopexy — addressing both volume deficit and skin laxity in a single operative session — is technically more demanding than either procedure alone, as the surgeon must balance the tension forces of the lift closure with the volume and weight added by the implant. Recovery from breast surgery involves activity restrictions for four to six weeks and follow-up appointments at defined intervals throughout the healing process.