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Can I Get a Breast Lift Without Huge Scars?

All of the I have seen on this site show that the women have huge, long scars afterward. I want a breast lift but I don't want huge scars! Is there any way to get the lift with some other incision that won't run all the way from my areola to my breast fold? Are there alternatives like some sort of mini breast lift?

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We hate scars as much as you do!

If we could avoid breast lift scars, we would. When we can reduce their length, we do. But they are there for a reason. The brief answer to your question is that yes, breast lifts can be done with a scar only around the areola. But depending upon your breast shape and size, that may not give an ideal shape. The history of breast lift surgery (and breast reduction, too) is really a journey into finding a better pattern of scars for removing the excessive skin, so that there is an optimal... more

Steven Teitelbaum, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS

Minimal Breast Lift Scars

If you have breasts that sag only a small degree, you do have two options to correct the problem while leaving only small scars. The first option is the Crescent Mastopexy, which removes skin from the upper area of the areola, leaving a minimal scar around the outer edge of the upper areola. The second option is the Concentric, or Doughnut, Mastopexy. This procedure will correct breasts with slightly more ptosis. Your surgeon will remove skin from both above, as well... more

Joseph G. Bauer, MD

Alpharetta Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Minimal Scar Breast Lift

In the past, breast lift was performed in the same manner as breast reduction, except for removing the extra breast tissue. The scar looked like an anchor, around the areola, down the breast, and across the loser breast. Newer understanding has allowed surgeons to appreciate the specific factors that lead to breast droopi loss of skin tone, laxity of Cooper' s ligaments (internal support tissue), and breast volume loss. The keys to a successful breast lft include: 1.... more

Karen Vaniver, MD

Seattle Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

You CAN get a breast lift without huge scars

Hi, Yes, there is a technique that allows your breasts to be lifted regardless of how saggy you are without visible scars. With this procedure the scars are hidden around the areola and under the breast mound. There is no vertical scar. Your breast mound is reconstructed into a cone and permanently fixed to your chest muscles. This allows the lift to be supported by more than just the skin envelope, and therefore making your lift more permanent. Breasts are firm and perky much like... more

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Gary M. Horndeski, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon

Types of incisions for lift candidates

The type of incision indicated to provide the results the patient would like to achieve will depend on the severity and complexity of each particular case. Consulting with a board certified platic surgeon, will allow you to discuss the best and safest possible option for you. In some cases, some women may benefit from a limitied lift, also known as a "benelli" lift. This involves an incision around the areola only, or a "donut" incision. This allows the areola to be... more

Tom J. Pousti, MD

San Diego Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Breast lift scars

I advise patients to go with the procedure that will result in the best shape even if it means more scars. Patients with significant sagging (passing the pencil test) benefit the most from a real lift. I do almost all of my lifts with incisions around the areola and a vertical incision that runs from the bottom of the areola to the inframammary fold. The long "anchor" scar is rarely necessary. The scars almost always fade with time and if the shape is really... more

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Lisa L. Sowder, MD

Seattle Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Breast lifts and scars

It is not possible to perform a good, long-lasting breast lift (mastopexy) without leaving some form of scar. The more minimal breast lifts that involve just a circular incision around the areola often times give only a minimal result and can sometimes distort or flatten the breast shape. For a more involved breast lift, you may require an incision from the areola down to the breast crease, this is referred to as a lollipop incision (vertical mastopexy). The scar is more involved however... more

William Bruno, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Breast Lift Using a Vertical Incision

The 'vertical scar' breast lift For several years I have been using a 'vertical scar' technique for most breast reductions, which eliminates the long, horizontal incision in the inframammary fold below the breasts. I have also adapted this technique for breast lift surgery, and have been extremely pleased with the results. As with breast reduction patients, this new technique not only eliminates the horizontal incision, but also creates more impressive breast projection... more

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Michael Law, MD

Raleigh-Durham Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Scars depend on the surgeon and the patient

As answered by many of my colleagues, the amount of sagging and the size of your breasts determine the number of scars necessary to properly lift your breasts. Trying to do a major lift with minimal scars is like trying to hem a dress with only one or two stitches--it won't work! Many types of breast lift exist, each trying to give a nice shape and as few scars as possible. You cannot shape a breast properly with only a few scars, regardless of whatever is done inside the breast,... more

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Richard H. Tholen, MD, FACS

Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Mini Lift = Mini Results

There are always tradeoffs with surgery. It is too easy to delude yourself into a procedure or treatment that is "less invasive," less expensive, with less scar, and faster recovery that will give the same result. Rarely (if ever) true. Wanting it to be so isn't enough to make it so. Make sure your surgeon understands your expectations and the planned surgery is the best one to likely meet those expectations. If not, are the tradeoffs worth it to you?... more

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Paul C. Zwiebel, MD

Denver Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Breast Lift Without Large Scars

The type of breast lift performed primarily depends on the amount of breast sagging that needs to be addressed. The absolute minimal scar is called a 'crescent' lift and involves a small scar (half circle) over the top of the areola. This provides only a very small lift and is not used very often. Most breast lifts involve incisions that go around the areola (a full circle) and possibly a vertical scar ('lollipop' incision that extends directly down... more

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Louis DeLuca, MD

Palm Beach Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Breast lift scars

Breasts that sag result from an imbalance of skin and breast tissue. A breast lift allows the removal of excess skin, repositioning of the breast and nipple, and reshaping of the breast. The addition of an implant will reduce the required skin resection, and thus, reduce the scars. Breast firmness and fullness will also be enhanced with an implant. However, in order to properly lift and shape the breasts, some scarring will result. The exact length of the... more

Randy J. Buckspan, MD

Austin Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Breast Lift Scars

The type of breast lift surgery that is required to achieve a patient's goals will depend on the amount of droop that they have in their breasts preoperatively. Very mild breast droop can often be corrected with an adequately sized implant, as long as the patient wants more breast volume. There are techniques that involve lifting the nipple/areola with only a scar around the edge of the areola. This is called periareolar lift, donut mastopexy, or Binelli mastopexy... more

Robert Wilke, MD

Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS

Possible to avoid the scar from areola to fold

The first thing every patient should understand about any cosmetic surgery procedure that results in a scar is that there is no predicting the final appearance of this scar. Will the scar fade to a point not easily noticeable or will it be so obvious that it flies off the page at you so to speak? It is impossible to say. I tell my patients that trying to predict the final appearance of a scar is more difficult then trying to predict the weather. Before entering into the procedure each... more

David A. Ross, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Breast lifts should be tailored to your particular case

A breast lift can involve several different things and the operation should be tailored to your particular situation. Classically, breast lifts were done through a pattern similar to classical breast reductions, resulting in a scar around the nipple, down the center, and underneath of the breast, which you can think of as an anchor type of configuration. While this operation works well for many patients, it provides a lot of scarring, and can, in certain patients, give rise to a breast that... more

Adam David Lowenstein, MD

Santa Barbara Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Until There is Shrink-Wrap Skin and a Magic Wand vs. a Scalpel, There Will Be Scars

Without question, the single aspect most feared by most women when it comes to Breast Lift or Breast Reduction is the necessary scars. Both Breast Lift and Breast Reduction involve creation of a pattern of skin removal in order to decrease the skin envelope, whether or not the breast itself is reduced in volume. This is quite similar to dress-making or tailoring, wherein a beautiful dress that your mother once wore needs to be taken in a bit so that you or your daughter can wear it. There... more

Athleo Louis Cambre, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Breast lifts can be performed in many different ways,...

Breast lifts can be performed in many different ways, all depending on the size and shape of the breast. Some women can "get away" with just having breat implants placed. Some can have a lift just around the border of the the areola skin. Most of the patients that I see, need more than this. I usually can limit the incisions to a "lollipop" design, leaving a final incision around the border of the areola and a vertical line from the bottom of the areola to the breast... more

Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Short scar breast lifts

Whenever a patient needs a long scar for removal of excess skin and the surgeon tries to make it shorter, there will be a trade off to a lesser quality result. Circumareolar breast lifts can remove a small amount of skin but they do not position the breast tissue up as high as other procedures and the purse string effect decreases the amount of projection of the breast.

Julio Garcia, MD

Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Scarless breast lift?

Unfortunately, surgery produces scars. As plastic surgeons, we try to hide or minimize scars while giving our patients the best contour and shape. Everything is a trade-off, unfortunately! If someone promises you scarless surgery, beware. I find that most patients who are really dissatisfied with the shape or droopiness of their breasts are very happy with the trade-off of having scars. I also believe that the inframammary scar (under... more

Michelle Spring, MD

Marina Del Rey Plastic Surgeon

Breast lift without huge scars

The type of lift will depend on multiple factors: How much extra skin, How far is the nipple traveling, What shape is the skin in... This will then determine the type of scar, (donut, lollipop, or anchor). The incision by definition has to be on a little tension, as you are making a new skin brassiere. Too much tension can lead to bad scars. Scars are permanent, but usually fade with time. Best to see a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. He will eval more

Jeffrey Roth, MD

Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

There are several main types of breast lifts.

There are several main types of lifts with a few modifications of each. These are increasingly more invasive with greater scarring as you go down the list. crescent (scar only above areola) periareolar (circular scar all the way around areola) vertical (also called lollipop because of circular scar around areola and vertically descending scar) anchor (same as vertical scar PLUS a horizontal scar across the bottom) Unfortunately it is not as easy as just... more

Richard H. Fryer, MD

Salt Lake City Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Breast lift without scars

Unfortunately, there is no surgery that I am aware of that does not result in some degree of scarring. In plastic surgery, we strive to hide or to minimize scars. A breast lift can be achieved via multiple techniques. The choice of technique depends on breast shape, size and droopiness. In general, more droopiness means more surgery and more scarring. The least invasive lift involves conservative liposuction. Next, a crescent lift can be performed... more

Jason R. Hess, MD

San Diego Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Breast Lift Scars

The incisions really depend on your anatomy. In some cases, with large ptotic (hanging) breasts, there is no choice but to make a longer incision. The alternative would be a misshapen beast. If you have minimal ptosis or loose skin and only need a minimal lift, then you will only need a minimal incision. In these cases, the incision may only be around the areola. The next step, if needed, would be an incision between the areola and the inframammary crease or... more

David Shafer, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Short scar techniques for breast lift

Older techniques relied on long vertical scars and long scars under the breast in an anchor shape. Newer techniques focus on eliminating the scar under the breast. Not all patients are suitable for this--those with minor or moderate (but not necessarily severe) droop are often good candidates.

Navin K. Singh, MD

Washington DC Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Breast lift scars

Avoiding scars in cosmetic surgery is unavoidable. However, scars can be minimized and hidden as best as possible. In mastopexy (breast lift), there are several approaches that all depend on the amount of excess skin or sagging of the breast. 1. Augmentation - Placing an implant in the breast can sometimes give a very slight lift. This will only work in cases where there is very minimal sagging. Scars will be similar to any breast augmentation 2. Concentric... more