Breast Lift With Implants Sydney | Augmentation Mastopexy

By Dr Benjamin Norris FRACS, Specialist Plastic Surgeon, Form & Face (Bondi Junction & Bella Vista, Sydney)

If you have started researching a breast lift with implants in Sydney, you have almost certainly run into conflicting advice about whether you actually need a lift, an implant, or both. It is one of the most common sources of confusion women bring into a consultation, and it is worth getting right, because the two procedures fix quite different problems. A breast lift with implants, known medically as augmentation mastopexy, is a single operation that combines a lift to reshape and reposition the breast with an implant to restore or add volume.

This guide explains how the combined surgery works, who it suits, what recovery and scarring involve, and how cost and Medicare are handled in Sydney. Dr Benjamin Norris is a Specialist Plastic Surgeon (FRACS) who performs this surgery at Form & Face in Bondi Junction (Eastern Suburbs) and Bella Vista (The Hills District). As with any surgery, the right approach depends on your individual anatomy, so the information below is general rather than personal advice.

What is a breast lift with implants (augmentation mastopexy)?

One operation treats two different problems. The lift, or mastopexy, removes stretched skin, raises the nipple, and reshapes the remaining tissue so the breast sits higher on the chest wall. The implant, or augmentation, is what restores volume. Most of that volume sits in the upper pole of the breast, where the loss usually shows first.

The clinical name combines two words: “augmentation” for adding volume, and “mastopexy” for lifting the breast. Doing both in one operation makes sense when a breast has dropped, lost its shape, and lost volume, because a lift alone would leave it looking empty, and an implant alone would leave it looking low.

Do I need a lift, implants, or both? (the pinch and nipple-position test)

The quickest guide is where your nipple sits in relation to the crease underneath your breast, called the inframammary fold. If the nipple sits at or above that fold and you mainly want more volume, an implant alone is often enough. If the nipple has dropped to or below the fold, a lift, usually combined with an implant, tends to give a far better result.

That is why you can’t really decide from a photo. At your consultation, Dr Norris assesses the degree of droop (called ptosis), the position of the nipple and areola, the quality and elasticity of your skin, and how much volume you are hoping to add. A gentle “pinch” of the tissue in the upper breast also shows how much natural cover there is over an implant. Only once those pieces are put together does one clear recommendation usually emerge.

As a rough starting point, most women fall into one of three groups:

Your situation	Most likely recommendation
Good breast volume, but the breast sits low and the nipple points downward or below the crease	Breast lift on its own
Happy with your shape and nipple position, but want more fullness (especially in the upper breast)	Implants on their own
Lost both volume and shape after pregnancy, breastfeeding or weight loss, with the nipple at or below the crease	Breast lift with implants (augmentation mastopexy)

These are guides, not rules. Plenty of women sit somewhere in between, and that is exactly the sort of borderline case a consultation is designed to sort out.

Signs an augmentation alone will not be enough

Some women come in set on implants only, and are surprised to hear a lift may be needed too. There are a few tell-tale signs that an augmentation on its own would not give the result you are picturing:

Your breasts have deflated and softened after pregnancy, breastfeeding or weight loss.
Your nipple points downward, or sits at or below the crease under your breast.
The upper part of your breast looks empty or flat, even in a supportive bra.
The skin feels loose and stretched, and your areola has widened.

When these features are present, adding an implant on its own can actually make the droop more obvious rather than less. The extra weight of the implant tends to pull an already loose breast further down over time. In that situation, a lift is what repositions the breast, and the implant then fills it out.

How is the combined surgery performed?

Augmentation mastopexy is carried out under general anaesthetic in a fully accredited hospital, and usually takes somewhere between two and three hours. The exact steps depend on how much lifting is needed, but the surgery follows a planned sequence: reshape and lift the breast, create the pocket, position the implant, then tailor the skin around the new shape.

The incision pattern is matched to the amount of loose skin:

Donut (periareolar): a circular scar around the edge of the areola, suited to mild sagging.
Lollipop (vertical): a scar around the areola plus a vertical line down to the crease, for moderate sagging. This is the most common pattern.
Anchor (inverted-T): the lollipop pattern plus a short scar along the fold, used when there is a large amount of skin to remove.

The implant itself is usually placed either partly under the chest muscle (a dual-plane position) or over the muscle, depending on your tissue cover and the look you are after. Dr Norris talks through implant type, size and position with you before surgery, and every implant used is recorded in the Australian Breast Device Registry.

One-stage or two-stage: why some patients are staged

Most women have the lift and the implant done together in one operation, which means one anaesthetic and one recovery. For some patients, though, splitting the surgery into two stages (a lift first, then implants three to six months later) is the safer choice.

The tension between the two halves of the operation is what drives that decision. A lift pulls the skin envelope in. An implant pushes it out. Where a large amount of skin has to come off and a sizeable implant is going in at the same time, those forces work against each other, and the risk of wound-healing problems, scars sitting badly, or the nipple ending up too high or too low increases. Staging takes that conflict out of the equation. The lift heals and settles first, and the implant then goes into a breast that has already stabilised.

Whether a one-stage or two-stage plan is right for you depends on your skin, the degree of droop, any previous breast surgery, and the implant size being considered. This is one of the more important judgement calls in the whole procedure, and Dr Norris will explain his reasoning at your consultation.

What is the recovery like, week by week?

Recovery from a breast lift with implants is a little more involved than an implant alone, because the skin has also been reshaped. Most women describe the first week as uncomfortable and tiring rather than severely painful. Here is a general timeline; yours may run faster or slower.

First 24 to 48 hours: expect to stay in hospital overnight. You will come round already wearing a surgical support bra. If drains have been used, they usually come out within a day or two. Pain relief is prescribed before you go home.
Week 1: you will be at home and resting. Short walks around the house keep the circulation moving, but reaching or lifting your arms above your head is out. Organise help before the surgery rather than after it, particularly if there are young children at home.
Weeks 2 to 3: desk-based work is realistic for many women by this stage. The support bra stays on day and night, and there will still be visible swelling.
Weeks 4 to 6: swelling gradually settles and daily activity increases. Strenuous exercise and heavy lifting are still off the table.
Weeks 6 to 8: most patients are cleared to return to the gym, running and heavier activity, guided by how they are healing.
3 to 6 months: the final shape settles as the implants soften into position and the last of the swelling resolves.

Dr Norris reviews every patient at regular follow-up appointments and provides written recovery instructions tailored to your procedure.

Scars: what to expect and how they fade

Yes, a breast lift with implants leaves more scarring than an implant on its own, and it is fair to weigh that up. The scar pattern follows whichever incision was used (donut, lollipop or anchor), and the scars are positioned so they sit within the natural contours of the breast and are hidden by a bra or swimwear.

Scars look their worst early on. They tend to be pink or red and slightly raised for the first few weeks, then gradually flatten and fade over roughly 12 to 18 months. Dr Norris provides scar-management advice during recovery to help them settle. Smoking noticeably worsens scarring and healing, which is one of the reasons stopping before surgery matters so much.

Cost in Sydney, and when Medicare (item 45558) may apply

A breast lift with implants generally costs more than a standalone augmentation or a standalone lift, because it is a longer and more complex operation. The total is made up of several separate parts: the surgeon’s fee, the anaesthetist’s fee, hospital and theatre fees, the implants themselves, your surgical garments, and follow-up care. Because these vary from person to person, a specific figure only means something once it is quoted for your case.

For that reason, and in line with advertising rules for cosmetic surgery in Australia, we do not publish a single headline price. You will receive a detailed, itemised quote at your consultation that sets out every cost before you decide anything.

On Medicare: a breast lift with implants performed for cosmetic reasons is generally not covered by Medicare or private health insurance. A Medicare item number such as 45558 may apply only in specific clinical situations (for example certain reconstructive cases or significant breast asymmetry or deformity), and only where strict eligibility criteria are met and a GP referral is in place. Dr Norris will assess honestly whether any rebate could apply to your circumstances; it cannot be assumed or guaranteed.

What are the risks, and how are they minimised?

Every surgical procedure carries risks, and augmentation mastopexy is no exception. General surgical risks include bleeding, infection, unfavourable scarring, changes in nipple or breast sensation, asymmetry, and wound-healing problems (which can be a little higher when a lift and implant are combined). Implant-related risks include capsular contracture (firm scar tissue around the implant), implant malposition or rupture, the possibility of needing revision surgery in the future, and the rare condition BIA-ALCL.

These risks are reduced, though never removed entirely, when surgery is performed by a Specialist Plastic Surgeon (FRACS) in an accredited hospital with an experienced specialist anaesthetist, with careful surgical planning, implants recorded in the Australian Breast Device Registry, and patients stopping smoking well before their operation. A thorough consultation and full informed-consent discussion of these risks is a required part of the process before any surgery goes ahead.

Why choose Dr Norris for Breast Lift with Implants (Augmentation Mastopexy) in Sydney

Dr Benjamin Norris is a Specialist Plastic Surgeon and a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (FRACS), the highest surgical qualification in this field in Australia. He has trained for more than 20 years, in Sydney and overseas, to reach full qualification as a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon. He is registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA registration number MED0001160589).

It is worth knowing that the title “Specialist Plastic Surgeon” is protected and regulated by AHPRA and the Medical Board of Australia, and is not the same as “cosmetic surgeon”. When you are considering a combined lift and implant procedure, which is one of the more technically demanding breast operations, that distinction matters.

Dr Norris performs augmentation mastopexy in fully accredited Sydney hospitals with experienced specialist anaesthetists, and every implant is recorded in the Australian Breast Device Registry. He is a member of ASPS and ASAPS, and Form & Face offers lifetime follow-up care, so you are supported well beyond the recovery period. Consultations are detailed and unhurried, with a full discussion of your options and the risks involved.

Dr Norris consults and operates from two Sydney locations: Bondi Junction (Eastern Suburbs, Waverley Council) and Bella Vista (The Hills District, Greater Western Sydney). If you are weighing up a breast lift, implants, or both, the clearest next step is a consultation. You can book by calling 1800 376 677 or through the Form & Face contact page.

Where you can check these credentials independently:

Common questions about breast lift with implants

Can you get a breast lift and implants at the same time?

Yes. For most women the lift and the implant are performed together in a single operation called augmentation mastopexy, which means one anaesthetic and one recovery. In some cases with significant sagging or a large implant, staging the two surgeries a few months apart is safer, and Dr Norris will advise which suits you.

What is the difference between a breast lift and breast augmentation?

A breast lift (mastopexy) reshapes and raises the breast and lifts the nipple, but does not add volume. A breast augmentation adds volume and fullness using an implant, but does not lift a drooping breast. If you have lost both shape and volume, combining the two is often the answer.

How much does a breast lift with implants cost in Sydney?

It usually costs more than an implant or a lift on its own, because it is a longer, more complex operation. The total includes surgeon, anaesthetist, hospital, implant and garment fees. Rather than a headline price, you will receive an itemised quote for your individual case at consultation.

How long does a breast lift with implants last?

The results are long-lasting for most women, but not permanent. Implants may eventually need replacing, and the natural breast continues to age. Keeping a stable weight, wearing good support during exercise, and avoiding pregnancy after surgery all help the result last longer.

Is a breast lift with implants covered by Medicare?

Generally not, where the reason for the surgery is cosmetic. Item 45558 exists for particular clinical situations, certain reconstructive cases and significant asymmetry among them, and it applies only where the eligibility criteria are met in full and a GP referral is already in place. Whether it applies in your case is assessed at consultation, and it is not something to count on in advance.

What is the recovery time for augmentation mastopexy?

One to two weeks away from desk-based work is typical, with a return to full exercise somewhere around the six to eight week mark. A support bra is worn day and night for several weeks. The final shape takes three to six months to declare itself, as swelling goes down and the implants settle into position. Recovery timelines vary between individuals.

Will I have more scars with a lift and implants than with implants alone?

Yes. An implant alone can be placed through a small incision, whereas a lift needs additional incisions to remove and reshape skin (a donut, lollipop or anchor pattern). Those scars fade over 12 to 18 months and are positioned to stay hidden under a bra or swimwear.

Medical references

Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Breast lift (mastopexy) procedure overview. Australia’s professional body representing Specialist Plastic Surgeons.

Australian Breast Device Registry (ABDR). abdr.org.au. The national registry that tracks implants and device safety across Australia.

Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Breast Implant Hub. The TGA’s consumer hub for breast implants, including current safety updates.

Healthdirect Australia. Breast implants. Government-funded national health information service.

Cleveland Clinic. Breast Lift (Mastopexy). Medically reviewed patient information on mastopexy surgery and recovery.

Medical disclaimer: This article is general information only and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks, including bleeding, infection, scarring, changes in nipple or breast sensation, asymmetry, and the need for further surgery. Individual results vary and outcomes cannot be guaranteed. A seven-day cooling-off period applies after you sign a consent form for a cosmetic surgical procedure. Before proceeding, always seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner. Read more about surgical risks at formandface.com.au/surgery-risks-and-complications/.

Breast Lift With Implants in Sydney: The Complete Guide to Augmentation Mastopexy