Portsmouth, NH - A recent article in Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery reports that breast lift surgery and breast augmentation surgery can be safely combined and performed in one procedure. Dr. Lawrence Gray states, “I fully agree with the study conducted by a member of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, Dr. Michael Calobrace, which concluded that a one stage operation can be performed safely. In my experience, the complication and re-operative rates have been very low. Choosing appropriate patients for the combined procedure and a thoroughly planned approach produce a reliable, effective and pleasing outcome. ”Breast lift surgery and breast augmentation surgery are among the most common plastic surgical procedures in the United States today.

Breast lift, also called mastopexy, raises and firms the breasts by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue to reshape and support the new breast contour. A woman's breasts often change over time, losing their youthful shape and firmness. These changes and loss of skin elasticity can result from pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight fluctuations, aging, gravity and heredity. In abreast lift, the location of the nipples are raised up from a downward pointing direction to a younger looking position of pointing straight forward. Loose skin from aging or weight loss is removed. Patients like to combine the procedures to have on e recovery period and for the cost savings.

Breast augmentation is the surgical placement of breast implants to increase fullness and projection of the breasts or to improve symmetry of the breasts for women who are dissatisfied with their breast size. A breast augmentation procedure is used cosmetically to enlarge a naturally small breast, most commonly the result of heredity, restore breast volume lost following pregnancy, as a result of breast-feeding or due to weight loss, achieve better symmetry when breasts are moderately disproportionate in size and shape and enhance your self-image and self-confidence.

Important advantages to performing the lifting and enlarging the breasts at the same time are that it is less expensive, avoids the risks of two separate surgeries, and avoids living with disappointing results between surgeries. The risks of combining breast augmentation and breast lift are no higher than performing the surgeries separately. While it does poses challenges, skilled surgeons can perform this one stage procedure effectively and with acceptable rates of re-operation. When the two are combined, there is also, virtually, no discomfort from a lift alone. The patient recovers from two procedures at the same time. Performing the two procedures together saves money and avoids the scar from a lift. Many surgeons falsely believe there are increased complication rates for doing it at the same time.

Says Dr. Gray, “ We are very careful to make sure that combining breast augmentation and breast lift is necessary to achieve the desire result. Though it is highly beneficial to performing breast augmentation and breast lift and the same time, we do not want our patients to have the additional expense unless they are not able to achieve the lift with augmentation alone. The ideal condition is that if there is significant enough droop to the breasts to have concern that augmentation alone will likely not provide enough of a lift then performing both procedures is the better way to go to give the patient increased breast size and nipples located in the proper, more youthful looking position.”

Dr. Gray continues that, “there are occasions when I will advise the patient against combining a lift with an implant, such as, if it’s unclear that they definitely will want the lift. Also, a massive weight loss patient will often be staged in more than one operation because it may be too difficult to figure the correct amount of skin to remove due to their poor skin tone.

Visit our website at http://www.atlanticplasticsurg.com to read more about laser tattoo removal or for more information, call Atlantic Plastic surgery Center at 1-800-633-6860.

About Atlantic Plastic Surgery Center:
Atlantic Plastic Surgery Center is the practice of New Hampshire plastic surgeon, Dr. Lawrence Gray, since 1985. Dr. Gray is nationally and internationally recognized as the inventor of the scarless breast reduction, a revolutionary procedure that eliminates scars associated with the older, traditional method of breast reduction. Dr. Gray has taught at educational conferences for the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons and is the only member of the International Society of Plastic Surgeons from New Hampshire. Dr. Mark Ballentyne is a highly skilled physician who has been Director of Medical Aesthetics at the Skin Wellness Center since 2003. Dr. Ballentyne is board-certified by the American Academy of Family Practice Physicians, is licensed to practice in New Hampshire and will be fully certified by the Board of Aesthetic Medicine in September 2011. He has established a strong reputation for his talent in administering dermal fillers, BOTOX Cosmetic and Dysport injections, and Fraxel laser treatments. He is a national trainer for Allergan. Dr. Brannon Claytoris board certified in plastic and reconstructive surgery, as well as in hand surgery. Dr. Claytor is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, offering patients a high level of skill, outstanding training and commitment to excellence in cosmetic, reconstructive and hand surgery. He completed an additional year of training in breast microsurgery, oncologic reconstruction and hand microsurgery at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri and was on the teaching faculty of the Lahey Clinic Medical Center. For more details visit us at: http://www.atlanticplasticsurg.com.