Written or reviewed by David Bogue, MD, board-certified plastic surgeon.
The right breast lift incision depends on how far the breast has dropped, how much loose skin must be removed, and the shape being created. Dr. Bogue most often considers anchor, lollipop, and donut patterns. The shortest scar is not automatically the best choice; the incision must provide enough access to reshape and support the breast properly.
A breast lift, or mastopexy, removes excess skin, raises the nipple and areola, and reshapes the patient’s existing breast tissue. Each incision pattern creates a different amount of access and skin removal.
What Is an Anchor Breast Lift?
An anchor incision extends around the areola, vertically down the lower breast, and horizontally within the breast crease. It provides the greatest ability to remove loose skin and reshape the breast.
Dr. Bogue commonly uses an anchor lift for moderate to severe sagging, elongated breasts, or cases requiring substantial reshaping. Although it creates the longest scar pattern, it may produce a better breast shape when a shorter incision would not remove enough skin.
What Is a Lollipop Breast Lift?
A lollipop, or vertical, lift places an incision around the areola and vertically down to the breast crease. It does not include the horizontal scar along the crease.
This approach may work well for selected wider breasts that are not significantly elongated. It provides more reshaping than an incision limited to the areola while avoiding the crease portion of an anchor scar.
What Is a Donut Breast Lift?
A donut, or periareolar, lift places the incision around the edge of the areola. Because it removes only a ring of skin, it offers less lifting and reshaping than the anchor or lollipop patterns.
Dr. Bogue uses this technique less often because tightening around the areola can flatten the breast and widen the areolar scar. It is more commonly considered when a limited lift is combined with a breast implant.
Can I Choose the Smallest Breast Lift Incision?
Patients naturally prefer fewer scars, but choosing an incision that is too limited can compromise shape. If substantial loose skin is present, a small incision may not provide enough access to lift the nipple, narrow the breast, or remove the excess skin effectively.
The better question is which pattern creates the best balance of breast position, shape, and scarring for your anatomy. Dr. Bogue recommends the least extensive incision that can reliably accomplish the intended reshaping.
What Happens Inside the Breast?
The visible skin incision is only one part of a breast lift. Dr. Bogue uses internal sutures to reshape and support the patient’s own breast tissue, creating the contour visible from the outside.
For routine support, he prefers using the patient’s tissue rather than adding surgical mesh. This avoids placing another implanted material that could potentially contribute to scarring or distortion.
How Noticeable Are Breast Lift Scars?
Breast lift scars are permanent, but they usually soften and fade as they mature. They are often pink, firm, or raised early in healing and become less conspicuous over time. Scar quality varies with genetics, skin type, incision tension, healing, and postoperative care.
Most scars are positioned around the areola, vertically on the lower breast, or within the breast crease. Dr. Bogue provides scar-care guidance and monitors healing during follow-up visits.
Does Adding an Implant Change the Incision Choice?
Sometimes. A lift raises and reshapes the breast, while an implant adds volume. When both are needed, the implant and lift must be planned together because implant size and breast-tissue quality affect skin tension and final shape.
An implant alone cannot reliably correct meaningful sagging. Conversely, a lift alone does not create the same upper-breast fullness as an implant. Dr. Bogue determines whether either procedure—or both—is appropriate after examining the skin, tissue, nipple position, and desired volume.
How Is the Incision Pattern Chosen?
During consultation, Dr. Bogue evaluates breast width, degree of sagging, nipple position, skin elasticity, asymmetry, existing volume, and whether an implant is planned. He then explains the scar pattern needed to achieve the proposed shape.
Photographs of similar anatomy can help patients understand the tradeoff between the extent of the incision and the amount of reshaping possible.
Discuss breast lift options with Dr. Bogue in Boca Raton.
Call 561-886-1000 or request a consultation online. Cosmetic surgical consultations are $100, credited toward surgery when booked.