At Bellava MedAesthetics & Plastic Surgery Center, 182 Rte 117 Bypass Rd, Bedford Hills, NY10507, in Westchester County, breast lifts, breast augmentations and breast reductions are performed by Dr. Chang Soo Kim, MD, a plastic surgeon certified by theAmerican Board of Plastic Surgery, in Bellava’s own Joint Commission accredited surgical suite.A breast lift raises and reshapes, an augmentation adds size, and a reduction makes heavy breasts smaller and lighter. Which one suits you — or which combination — is decided at aconsultation with Dr. Kim.
Side by side
| Breast lift | Breast augmentation | Breast reduction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it changes | Position and shape: tightens the skin and raises the breasts, without adding size | Size, shape and symmetry: adds volume with an implant or your own fat | Size and weight: removes breast tissue and skin, and lifts and reshapes at the same time |
| Who it usually suits | Breasts that have dropped or lost their shape after pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight loss or with age | Women who want fuller or more balanced breasts, or their pre-pregnancy size back | Women with physical discomfort from heavy breasts or extra skin |
| How it is done | Skin tightened and the breast reshaped; implants added only when more size is also a goal | Silicone or saline implant through an incision around the nipple, in the breast crease or under the arm — or fat transfer | Tissue and skin removed through incisions along the breast crease |
| At Bellava | Surgery by Dr. Chang Soo Kim, MD, American Board of Plastic Surgery certified — outpatient, home the same day | ||
| Back to regular or light activity | About 1–2 weeks | About 1–2 weeks | About 1–2 weeks |
| Exercise | Strenuous activity at about 4 weeks | Light exercise at about 2–3 weeks | Strenuous exercise at about 4 weeks or more |
| Cost | Quoted at a free consultation — surgeon, anesthesia and facility together | ||
Recovery times are general and differ from person to person. Results vary, and no procedure is guaranteed to give a particular result.
Breast lift: position and shape
A breast lift (mastopexy) is for breasts that have dropped or lost their shape, often after pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight loss or with age. Dr. Kim tightens the skin and reshapes the breasts to a more youthful position and shape. It does not make the breasts bigger: often implants are not needed, and they are added only when more size is also a goal. Typical candidates are women in good general health. Most patients are back to regular activities in about 1–2 weeks and to strenuous activity within about 4 weeks.
Breast augmentation: size
A breast augmentation adds volume for women who want fuller or more balanced breasts, better symmetry, or their pre-pregnancy size back. Dr. Kim helps you choose between silicone and saline implants, the size and the placement, and places the implant through an incision around the nipple, in the breast crease or under the arm. For a more modest change without an implant, he also performsnatural fat transfer breast augmentation, using your own fat taken by liposuction. Most patients are back to regular activities within 1–2 weeks and to light exercise within 2–3 weeks. Breast implants are not lifetime devices and may need to be replaced or removed at some point.
Breast reduction: size and weight
A breast reduction is for women who have physical discomfort from heavy breast tissue or extra skin. Dr. Kim removes tissue and skin through incisions along the breast crease and lifts and reshapes the breast at the same time, aiming for a lighter, natural-looking breast in proportion to your frame. Scars fade over 6–12 months to fine lines along the crease. Most patients return to light activity in about 1–2 weeks; strenuous exercise can take 4 weeks or more while healing inside finishes.
Combining procedures
A lift can be combined with implants when you want both a higher position and more size. A reduction already includes a lift. A mommy makeover combines breast surgery — augmentation, lift or reduction — with a tummy tuck and often liposuction, in one operation and one recovery, usually 2–6 weeks depending on what is combined. All of Bellava’s breast surgery is listed on thebreast procedures page, includingbreast reconstruction.
How to choose
- Is it position, size, or both? Dropped breasts point to a lift; wanting more size points to an augmentation; both can mean a lift with implants.
- Are your breasts heavy or uncomfortable? That is the conversation for a reduction, which lifts as well.
- Do you want implants at all? If not, a lift alone or fat transfer may be worth discussing.
- Is more than one area bothering you? A mommy makeover treats the breasts and abdomen in one operation.
The right choice is decided at a consultation with Dr. Kim, after he examines you — not from a chart. Read what happens at your consultation.
Your consultation with Dr. Kim
Your first consultation is free, private and without obligation. Dr. Kim goes through your health and medical history, examines you, explains which option fits, the risks and what recovery involves, and gives you a quote that covers the surgeon, anesthesia and the facility together. Financing is available through Cherry or CareCredit, subject to approval (see financing options). Surgical consultations are not booked online: send the request form, or call or text(914) 809-9693, and Bellava’s patient coordinator will get back to you to set a time. Patients come from across Westchester — Mount Kisco, Katonah, Chappaqua, Bedford, Somers and White Plains — and from Greenwich, CT. You can see his patients’ results in thebefore & after gallery.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a breast lift, a breast augmentation and a breast reduction?
A breast lift (mastopexy) tightens the skin and raises and reshapes breasts that have dropped, without making them bigger. A breast augmentation adds size with a silicone or saline implant, or with your own fat. A breast reduction removes breast tissue and skin to make heavy breasts smaller and lighter, and lifts and reshapes them at the same time. At Bellava MedAesthetics & Plastic Surgery Center in Bedford Hills, Westchester County, Dr. Chang Soo Kim, MD, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, performs all three.
Can a breast lift be combined with implants?
Yes. Dr. Kim performs a breast lift alone or with implants. Often implants are not needed, because the lift reshapes your own breast tissue; they are added only when more size is also a goal. Doing a lift at the same time as an augmentation is part of the plan, and of the quote, that Dr. Kim makes with you at the consultation.
Does a breast reduction also lift the breasts?
Yes. In a breast reduction Dr. Kim removes extra breast tissue and skin through incisions along the breast crease, and lifts and reshapes the breast at the same time, so the breast is lighter and sits higher.
Should I get a breast lift or implants?
It depends on whether the concern is position and shape, or size. If your breasts have dropped or lost their shape — often after pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight loss or with age — but you are happy with their size, a lift alone is the usual conversation. If you want them fuller as well, a lift with implants may fit. If size is the only concern and they have not dropped, an augmentation on its own may be enough. Dr. Kim examines you and tells you which, if any, fits.
How does recovery differ?
Each surgery is outpatient at Bellava, so you go home the same day. After a breast lift most patients are back to regular activities in 1–2 weeks. After a breast augmentation most are back to regular activities within 1–2 weeks and to light exercise within 2–3 weeks. After a breast reduction most return to light activity in 1–2 weeks, and strenuous exercise can take 4 weeks or more while healing inside finishes. Everyone heals differently, and Dr. Kim gives you a plan for your own surgery.
Can I have breast surgery and a tummy tuck together?
Yes. A mommy makeover combines breast surgery — augmentation, lift or reduction — with a tummy tuck and often liposuction, in one operation with Dr. Kim and one recovery, usually 2–6 weeks depending on what is combined.
Can I make my breasts bigger without implants?
Dr. Kim also performs natural fat transfer breast augmentation: fat is taken by liposuction from an area such as the tummy or thighs and placed in the breasts. It gives a more modest increase than an implant, and some of the fat is reabsorbed, so a second session is sometimes needed.
Which one is right for me?
That is decided at a consultation with Dr. Kim, not online. He goes through your health and medical history, examines you, listens to what you want in size, shape and position, and recommends what fits — including telling you if surgery is not right for you. No result is guaranteed, and results vary from person to person.
How do I book a consultation with Dr. Kim?
Call or text (914) 809-9693, or send the consultation request form on this page. Surgical consultations are not booked online: Bellava’s patient coordinator gets back to you to set a time. Your first consultation with Dr. Kim is free, and the quote covers the surgeon, anesthesia and the facility together.