Dr. Karen Horton has either authored or reviewed and approved this content.
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Aging, pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight loss, and genetics can all contribute to changes in breast shape and volume. If you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area and looking to restore a youthful, lifted, and fuller breast appearance with better upper pole volume, a breast augmentation with lift (mastopexy-augmentation) may be the ideal solution. This cosmetic surgery combines two powerful surgical procedures—a breast lift and breast augmentation—to elevate sagging breasts and enhance breast volume, improving self-confidence and body balance.
At our San Francisco practice, our Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Karen Horton, uses advanced surgical techniques to customize each procedure to your anatomy and specific aesthetic goals, emphasizing natural-looking results and proportional breast rejuvenation. Surgery is performed on-site in our fully accredited Quad A-certified surgery center!
This Plastic Surgery procedure combines a breast lift procedure, which raises and reshapes sagging breast tissue and repositions the nipple and areola, with breast augmentation surgery to increase fullness using saline implants or silicone gel implants. This combined cosmetic procedure addresses breast asymmetry, breast sagging, and loss of volume due to breastfeeding, weight loss, or aging.1 Liposuction of the axillary rolls is added to remove unwanted fat in the armpits and bra rolls in most cases.
The result is a more cohesive, lifted, and enhanced breast shape that complements your figure and restores natural beauty, obviating the need to wear a bra!
Drag the slider to see transformation
Drag the slider to see transformation
Good candidates are healthy, non-smoking women at or near their target weight. Candidates often have:
This procedure is often part of a Mommy Makeover, which may include liposuction, a tummy tuck, or a facelift to restore the body after childbirth. Please see our Preparing for Surgery section to learn more about ensuring you are an ideal candidate for surgery.
Patients taking GLP-1 medications—such as semaglutide—for diabetes or weight management should discontinue use at least 30 days prior to any procedure involving general anesthesia. This precaution helps reduce the risk of complications during surgery. Read our blog to explore safety guidelines for people using weight loss or diabetes medications.
Your surgery will take place under general anesthesia in our accredited surgical suite. The procedure typically lasts 3 to 4 hours and is performed on an outpatient basis. Incisions vary based on the degree of lift needed—most commonly a lollipop (vertical) incision, with another incision hidden in the breast fold. Breast implants are placed on top of the chest wall muscle in the subglandular position, and excess skin is removed to create a lifted, fuller profile.2 Liposuction is added to further contour the bra rolls and armpit region – known as the axillary rolls.
Please see our Preparing for Surgery section for more details about what happens in the operating room on the day of surgery, specifically during breast lift surgery and during the breast augmentation procedure.
You’ll receive a personalized treatment plan with specific recovery instructions online and in printed form at your preoperative visit. Most patients return to light activity within two to three weeks and to their normal routines in 4 to 6 weeks. Post-surgery, you will experience temporary swelling, bruising, and altered nipple sensation, all of which improve with healing and time.
You’ll be monitored closely during the healing process to ensure the best possible outcome. The final results—enhanced volume, symmetry, and a youthful contour—become more apparent as swelling subsides.
What Are The Different Types of Mastopexy and Augmentation?
There are a variety of options for each technique of mastopexy (breast lift) and breast augmentation. Please visit our breast lift section to learn about mastopexy options, incisions, and expected recovery. Visit our breast augmentation section to learn all about breast implants, the science and safety behind them, saline versus silicone gel, implant positioning, and additional education specific to breast augmentation.
Can I Increase Breast Volume Without Breast Implants?
Dr. Horton exercises caution when considering adding fat in the form of autologous fat transfer to the breasts.3 This well-described technique uses your body's own fat—harvested from areas such as the abdomen, thighs, or flanks—to naturally add volume to the breasts.4 Fat transfer, also called free fat grafting and lipofilling, is commonly performed at a second stage in breast reconstruction procedures after mastectomy. However, when fat is added to a natural breast, permanent changes can occur that could interfere with mammograms and breast cancer screening. Learn more in her blog post on this topic.
Is a Mastopexy-Augmentation Part of a Mommy Makeover?
Breast lift and breast augmentation are indeed a favorite of Moms as part of their Mommy Makeover! Many women long for the fullness and increased perkiness of their breasts from before they had children or perhaps while they were breastfeeding their babies. A combined mastopexy and augmentation achieves Moms’ aesthetic goals in a single operation!Please see our Mommy Makeover section to learn about changes that commonly occur in the breasts, the tummy, and other areas of the body after pregnancy, and about combined mastopexy and breast augmentation as a component of a Mommy Makeover.
Where Can I See Before and After Photos of Breast Augmentation with Lift?
Please visit our photo gallery to see before and after mastopexy-augmentation results!
What Are the Risks of Combined Breast Lift with Implants?
Before undergoing any surgical procedure, it's important to be aware of the possible risks and complications involved. We encourage you to review our Preparing for Surgery section for general information about surgical risks, as well as our Postoperative Instructions for Breast Surgery for specific details related to combined breast lift and augmentation procedures.
Where Can I Find Breast Lift with Implants Near Me?
If you’re considering enhancing the shape and volume of your breasts, Dr. Karen Horton offers breast lift with implants in San Francisco. As a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Horton specializes in combining breast lift surgery with breast augmentation to help patients achieve youthful, fuller, and more balanced breast contours. She proudly serves patients in San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area. If you’re interested in rejuvenating your figure with a breast lift and implants, contact us today to schedule a consultation.
Learn more about mammograms after breast augmentation in this blog by Dr. Karen Horton.
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1 American Society of Plastic Surgeons. What are the benefits of combining breast augmentation and a breast lift? https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/blog/what-are-the-benefits-of-combining-breast-augmentation-and-a-breast-lift. Accessed April 25, 2025.
2 American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Combining a breast lift with breast implants. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/blog/combining-a-breast-lift-with-breast-implants. Accessed Apriol 25, 2025.
3 PRS Global Open. Autologous Mastopexy and Autoaugmention of the Breast. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7647654/. Accessed April 25, 2025.
4 PRS Global Open. Autologous Mastopexy and Autoaugmention of the Breast. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7647654/. Accessed April 25, 2025.
Dr. Karen Horton has either authored or reviewed and approved this content.
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Dr. Karen M. Horton
2100 Webster St UNIT 520
San Francisco, CA 94115
Phone: 415.923.3067
We are located in the Pacific Heights District in the Pacific Professional Building.
Monday-Friday: 9am - 5pm
Saturday-Sunday: Closed
Monday:
9 AM to 5 PM
Tuesday:
9 AM to 5 PM
Wednesday:
9 AM to 5 PM
Thursday:
9 AM to 5 PM
Friday:
9 AM to 5 PM
Saturday:
Closed
Sunday:
Closed
Dr. Karen M. Horton
2100 Webster St UNIT 520
San Francisco, CA 94115
Phone: 415.923.3067
We are located in the
Pacific Heights District
in the Pacific Professional Building.
SHOP SKIN CARE*Please note: Our office is no longer a Participating Provider for insurance. We can provide a financial quote for what anticipated surgical fees will be after your consultation.
