In September, Byrdie published a first-person review of a “ballerina boob job”, written by a fashion professional who learned at her first consultation that she had tuberous breasts. She describes a subtle result, a recovery that asked for patience, and a change that was mostly mental.

Since then, more patients at Southwest Plastic Surgery have arrived with the phrase ready. We asked Dr. Frank Agullo, who founded the practice, to explain what they are asking for and how he decides the plan.

What the Ballerina Look Means

“The patient that comes in looking for the ballerina look is usually asking for a subtle augmentation with an upper pole slope, without too much upper pole fullness, and an overall natural, not done look. This is usually a look that is achievable with a patient that is not very large breasted to start with.”

In plain terms, the top of the breast slopes gently instead of standing out, and nobody can tell there is an implant.

Three Ways to Get There

Dr. Agullo builds the look from one of three plans, depending on the patient.

Fat transfer alone: “If the patient is already happy with their breast shape and they just want a little bit more fullness, then this can be achieved with fat transfer alone. It usually gives you at least a cup size, preserves the current breast shape, and just augments the volume by 100 to 200 cc.”

An implant: “To achieve the ballerina look, we often use the Motiva Preserve technique, which preserves the arteries, the nerves, and the ligaments of the breast without performing any cutting, and the implant is placed just under the gland, above the muscle. It can also be done with a traditional breast augmentation.”

On the implant itself, he prefers a lower profile: “The implant of choice here would be a lower profile implant, like a Demi or a Mini, and the Motiva Ergonomix implant, which flows with the breast and lends itself to more movement.”

Both together: “At times, if the patient has a small amount of subcutaneous fat and breast tissue, then the implants can be complemented with fat as well, to even and smooth the edges and create that natural contour.”

When a Lift Is Part of the Plan

This is the question patients most often hope to avoid, and the one Dr. Agullo answers with a tape measure.

“The level of droopiness determines whether the patient will require a lift or not. If the nipple areola complex is below the inframammary fold, then a full lift, anchor type incision, will be necessary. If the nipple areola complex is at or slightly above the inframammary fold, I will often recommend a circumareolar lift or donut lift.”

The nipple areola complex is the nipple and the darker skin around it; the inframammary fold is the crease under the breast. The deciding measurement is from the notch at the top of the breastbone to the nipple: “The ideal sternal notch to nipple areola distance is anywhere from 19 to 22 centimeters.” Any patient measuring more than that should consider some type of lift.

Why it cannot be skipped: “If the lift is not performed during the augmentation and there is considerable sagging, then the implants will appear to be higher up, even though they are in the right place, and the nipple areola and breast tissue will hang over it.”

And the reassurance for the many patients who do not need one: “A lot of the patients seeking the ballerina look are already happy with their breast shape, therefore a simple augmentation is possible.”

Who the Look Suits

“The ballerina look is very appropriate for patients that already have a ballerina type structure. These are patients that are usually thin and athletic, so a ballerina breast is very proportionate in these cases. The ballerina breast can look disproportionate in heavier set patients, or those with wider bony structures. But in all reality, it really just depends on what the patient wants and what they will be happy with.”

At Southwest Plastic Surgery that decision is made on screen before it is made in the operating room: “One of the advantages in my practice is that we can simulate the results using the Vectra 3D system and the Crisalix system to visualize the results even before the surgery. This really helps the patient decide on the look, the size, the profile, and whether or not a lift will make the final results look better.”

What No Review Can Tell You

Dr. Agullo’s closing point, for anyone who read the Byrdie piece and is now searching for a surgeon:

“What a first-person review usually leaves out is that the writer’s result started with the writer’s anatomy. A thin, athletic patient with good nipple position and a little breast tissue will get the ballerina look with a small implant or fat transfer alone. A patient with more sagging, a wider chest, or a longer sternal notch to nipple distance will need a lift or a different implant to get anywhere close, and the review will not tell you that. The other thing missing is the measurements. A consultation with 3D imaging and actual numbers tells you what is achievable on your body, which no review can.”

About Cost

No prices in this post. Starting prices for augmentation, fat transfer and lift are on the fees page, and the quote follows the consultation.

Ready to Talk?

Southwest Plastic Surgery offers fat transfer, Motiva Preserve, traditional breast augmentation and every type of lift. The consultation, with 3D imaging, decides which one builds your version of the look.

Call the office at (915) 590-7900, text us at 1-866-814-0038, or book a consultation at agulloplasticsurgery.com/appointments. #StayBeautiful

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