Is a Full Anchor Lift the Only/ Best Option for Me? (photo)

Hi Dolores,

Thank you for your question and photos.

The Ultimate Breast Lift does not require the visible vertical scar. A vertical scar inherently weakens the lift by weakening the skin envelope at the point of maximum tension. This is why all vertical lifts eventually bottom out. Another architectural advantage of the UBL technique is that the weight of the breast is permanently anchored to the chest muscles to relieve the skin envelope from the breast load. The incisions are hidden around the areola and the inframammary fold. Upper pole fullness is achieved without breast implants. Results are natural  and long lasting. Do your research.

This is a great start.

Kind regards,

Dr. H 

 

I see very few patients in my practice who require a full anchor mastopexy.

The vertical or lollipop operation is better on many counts.

Of course the scars are dramatically reduced.

Most importantly, while the anchor mastopexy flattens the breast and causes the inframammary fold to drop, the vertical procedure CONES the breast and RAISES the inframammary fold.

I caution all my patients that mastopexy does a good job of raising the nipples but does not provide noticeably increased upper fullness. This can only be produced with an implant.

It is impossible to predict precisely how your scars will look. In general the scars are very acceptable and revisions extremely rare.

Good luck!

 

   Most plastic surgeons have a preference one way or the other, but both may be appropriate.  Make sure you look at before and afters and the shape of the breasts after.

I think either anchor or lollipop lift can give you a more lifted result. In the hands of capable and experienced surgeons you will get a significant result with either of the techniques.  The differences is personal experiences of the surgeon with a particular technique. With regard to scar healing, there is no guarantee that it will heal better or worse than your C-section scar. Hopefully the benefit of a breast lift will be enough to go through with your surgery. With good surgical execution, and proper healing, it's fair to be optimistic that you will end up with an nicely healed scar and better shaped breasts.

Best Wishes,

Stewart Wang, MD FACS, Wang Plastic Surgery

Dear Dolores

Many thanks for your question. Although difficult to say for sure without a face-to-face meeting, I would suggest that a circumvertical (lollipop) type scar pattern may be an option with you.

Regarding your C-section scar - at 1-year post-op, the scar can still be expected to improve over the next 6-12 months.

In my practice in Kent, in the UK, I prefer the vertical scar option for breast surgery whenever possible.
Good luck!

Mr Marc Pacifico

Consultant Plastic Surgeon

Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK

 

The vertical short scar mastopexy is an extremely versatile breast reduction and lifting technique that reduces the scarring on the breast by approximatley 66% compared to the anchor technique...a compelling benefit.   If performed with a superior or superio-medial pedicle, it also results in good long term shape by reducing "bottoming out" that is common with the anchor technique.  The peri-areolar and vertical components of the "lollipop" scars tend to heal very well with time and on average are better than c-section scars.  This technique eliminates the horizontal component of the anchor which tends to heal poorly and can be visible in some swim suits and low cut dresses.  I would recommend that you seek out a plastic surgeon experienced with this technique.  Based on your photos, you would be a good candidate.  If your breasts are reduced slightly during the procedure, you are also likely to get some improvement in your back symptoms.  Best of luck!

I would hightly recommend a vertical breast lift or small reduction. The breast lift can be completed using only a vertical scar and avoids the traditional anchor scar. A well performed vertical breast reduction places the tension on the breast tissue under the skin and usually results in very acceptable scarring. My suggestion would be to find a plastic surgeon in your area that uses the vertical mastopexy technique.

Thanks for your question. You would be a great candidate for a reduction. If you like your general size then a lift would be the procedure of choice and you would loose very little volume. The best way to evaluate ptosis (sag) is by physical exam but a picture can give a preliminary idea. The best picture is a side profile. In general breast lifts are done to not only raise the nipple but also to make the areolar/nipple complex smaller and raise the breast tissue to a more natural youthful position. Of course, the key to a great breast lift is patient selection and technique selection. Areolar lifts are generally good for women with good skin quality, breast tissue reasonably placed and a nipple/areola that are sagging no more than 2 cm. Once the breasts sag past that point, it is necessary to perform a lollipop lift which not only repositions the sagging breast tissues but also the nipple and areola. The final and most aggressive lift is an anchor lift which places both a vertical and horizontal incision. Again the determinant is the degree of sagging, skin quality and amount of breast tissue. Last, if there is a deficiency in breast tissue, an augmentation can be done either together with the lift or as separate procedures. Make sure you visit with a board certified plastic surgeon get get specifics on your situation.

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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 and maintains it better over time. The breast lift procedure I perform not only removes breast skin but also moves some lower pole breast tissue to a higher position, increasing the projection of the nipple/areola area.

Breast lift surgery works well for patients with enough existing breast tissue to build a projecting 'breast mound'. However, in most breast lift Raleigh / Durham patients it is difficult to create sustainable fullness in the upper poles of the breasts by means of a mastopexy alone. This is particularly true in patients who have experienced significant deflation following pregnancy and lactation. For patients who indicate that they wish to achieve a fair amount of fullness in the cleavage area as a result of their breast lift surgery, I recommend that they undergo augmentation mastopexy. This surgery combines a breast lift with the placement of a breast implant usually of modest size, which produces the most youthful breast profile possible.

I think it is the best, though perhaps not the only option.

It is unwise to give definitive advice from a photo when an actual in person exam is so much more useful, but this advice is not definitive!

It may be that a vertical lift, with an incision around the areolas and then down to the breast fold will be enough. But if the nipples and areolas need enough lift, there can be too much breast skin in the lower part of the breast, and an incision in the fold may be needed to trim the excess.

When you ready for an in person consultation, RealSelf has listings of surgeons in your area. You should consider cross referencing the listings from the The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (plasticsurgery dot org). A listing in the ASPS website assures you that your surgeon is not only board certified,  but also is a member in good standing of the major plastic surgery organization in the U. S.

Thank you for your question, best wishes.