Robert T. Buchanan, MD

It is now very rare that an anchor incision is needed for a breast lift. A periareolar and single vertical scar, the so called “lollipop scar, is the most common. There are, however, other ways to handle the problem of droop. By just placing an implant, you will obtain some lift. Depending on how much droop you have and how large an implant you use, this may be enough, particularly if you are not worried about the droop.

Another alternative is to do a donut mastopexy where skin from around the areola (particularly superiorly) is removed to tighten the skin envelope and lift the breast. In this procedure, the scar is all the way around the areola instead of just under it and tends to disappear just like the normal augmentation scar. This may also be a reasonable choice for you. If you do not get enough lift, you can always come back later and do further skin excision if you decide the trade-off of the scar for the lift is worth it.