Can the Areolas Be Resized Without Having a Lift? (photo)

The areolas can be reduced without a full lift.  But that will leave a scar around the areolas and won't make your breasts as attractive as a verticle lift.  The trade off for much smaller areolas and a much better shape is the verticle scar which usually heals very well.  My advice is to strongly consider a lift.  Look at the before and after photos in the link below. The scar fades over time and the nipples can be resized more completely.

Your areolas can be reduced in size by a technique known as a circum-areola mastopexy.  This will reduce the size of your areola and slightly lift your breasts at the same time.  The key to this surgery, also known as a Benelli mastopexy, is a permanent suture at the outside of the areola at the areola breast-skin juncture.  This surgery differs from a doughnut mastopexy in the placement of a permanent suture, but also in the fact that there is undermining of the skin of your breast to allow lifting and repositioning the skin, which will then allow the excess skin to be removed and re-draping of the remaining breast skin.  I was awarded a prize for the best video-tape in plastic surgery several years ago with reference to the Benelli mastopexy.

Thank you for the question.
Areola reduction  involves  circumferentially removing areola  skin  around a smaller areola design. This procedure can be done under local or general anesthesia. It is often  done as part of a brest augmenation/lift,  breast lift or  breast reduction  procedure, but can be done as a standalone procedure.

You should be aware that despite best efforts scarring will be visible and potentially abnormal ( possibly thick, raised and/or pigmented).  Some areola  asymmetry may also  be present after surgery.   Their  is  a small chance that you may lose sensation.
As with all plastic surgical procedures, you must weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks/complications  while making these decisions.

I hope this helps.