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Lift and implants

Breast lift with implants

In shortA lift with implants (augmentation mastopexy) lifts and reshapes the breast and adds volume, especially at the top, in one operation. In Ireland it starts from about €9,500. It suits breasts that have both dropped and emptied, but implants bring their own upkeep and risks.

Which breast lift fits me?

Six honest questions

Answer as you are today. You'll see the likely fit, our price range and what a surgeon would want to check. Nothing is sent unless you choose to.

Where does your nipple sit now?

Stand side-on to a mirror without a bra and compare the nipple with the crease under your breast.

Who needs both

A lift alone moves the nipple up and tightens the skin, but it can't add much fullness above the nipple. Implants are the only way to add a lot of fullness there. When the breast has dropped well below the crease and lost volume, which is common after breastfeeding, a surgeon may suggest both.

Pale pink peonies in a white ribbed vase in a garden

Lift and implants together, or apart

Many surgeons do both in one operation, so there's one anaesthetic and one recovery. Some prefer two operations a few months apart, when the breasts need a big lift and a large implant, because the two pull in different directions: the implant stretches the skin the lift has just tightened. Ask which your surgeon recommends for you, and why.

The trade-off

The weight of an implant can make the breast drop again sooner. A larger implant drops faster than a modest one. If what you want most is for the result to last, a smaller implant usually serves you better.

Implants need upkeep

  • They don't last a lifetime. Some women need more surgery after about ten years, because of the implant or because the breast has changed around it.
  • Replacing implants costs €4,000 to €6,000 in Ireland.
  • Scar tissue can tighten around an implant and make the breast feel hard (capsular contracture).
  • An implant can rupture, fold, ripple under thin skin or turn.
  • A rare lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) has been linked to breast implants, and some women report tiredness, joint pain and other symptoms they put down to them.
  • You can still have screening mammograms. BreastCheck asks you to ring before your appointment to say you have implants, as it may need more time.

Recovery

Recovery is close to a lift on its own: at least two weeks off work, a support bra day and night, no heavy lifting or strenuous exercise for at least a month. The implants take a few months to settle into a natural shape.

Cost

From about €9,500 in Ireland, against €6,000 to €8,100 for a lift alone and €5,000 to €6,800 for implants alone. Abroad, Turkish packages for a lift with implants are advertised at €4,500 to €7,800 before travel. See our price guide.

Questions people ask

Can I have a breast lift and implants at the same time?

Usually, yes. Some surgeons split it into two operations when a big lift and a large implant are both needed.

How much is a breast lift with implants in Ireland?

From about €9,500, more with some implants and hospitals.

Do I need implants with a breast lift?

Only if you'd like more volume, especially at the top. A lift alone changes shape and height, not size.

How long do breast implants last?

Not a lifetime. Some women need more surgery after about ten years.

More guides

Cost in IrelandMastopexy explainedBreast lift scarsRecovery, week by weekLift or augmentation?Lift or reduction?After pregnancyAfter weight lossRisks and safetyTurkey or Ireland?Tubular breasts

Find the lift that fits you

Six honest questions, our price range, and what a surgeon would raise. One clinic contacts you, only if you ask, and nothing is booked until you say yes.

Which breast lift fits me?