"Lollipop" vs "Anchor" Breast lift for big breasts (G cup, down from HH) with grade 3 ptosis and "empty" skin - pros and cons?

I appreciate your question.

I perform a liposuction breast lift that removes tissue from the areas you don't want such as near the armpit and the lower portion hanging near your stomach. Once I use this to shape the breast I then remove the skin to tighten the breast and create a better shape with nice cleavage. Since I perform this less invasively the recovery time is faster. The size would depend on the proportion with your body versus going for a cup size.

It takes 6 weeks to heal and I wait 12 months before any scar revision.

The best way to assess and give true advice would be an in-person exam.  Please see a board-certified plastic surgeon that specializes in aesthetic plastic surgery.

 

Best of luck!

   

Dr. Schwartz

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

#RealSelf100Surgeon

#RealSelfCORESurgeon

A
mastopexy or breast lift operation is designed to improve the shape and
position of the breast without reducing their size. It is used for breasts
which sag or droop (ptosis). Sagging of the breasts may occur with normal
development for some women, or as part of the aging process. Pregnancy,
breast-feeding and weight loss are other conditions which increase breast
ptosis. Some patients will have a better shape to their breast such as increased
superior fullness if an implant is used at the time of mastopexy. The procedure
can also be combined with a minor breast reduction to reduce the breast width
if desired. The surgery will create an elevated, more youthful breast contour.
Also, the procedure will create nipple and areolae of the desired size and at
the correct height.
I prefer to  use a #shortscar technique,
#LollipopScar or #DonutLift” rather than the majority of surgeons in the United
States that use an anchor pattern lift which involve more significant scarring.

 

For really large breasts, I prefer the anchor.  It gives you more immediate results as far as breast shape goes.  The lollipop will require a lot of reassurance from your doctor letting you know that everything will settle out in months.  

Thank you for your question.  By your description, you have a great deal of loose skin of the breast which will require a full "anchor" type breast lift.  You should focus on finding a surgeon who can provide a nice, round, projecting breast lift rather than trying to limit incision length and compromising your result.  The scar locations are dictated by the degree of skin excess.  Minimal skin excess may only require a circumareolar lift, moderate skin excess a lollipop lift, and significant skin excess an anchor lift. Again, its not extent of incisions/scars that is so important, but how the lift is performed internally.  Best wishes!

Hello Honey,Different surgeons will have different preferences for the techniques used, but broadly speaking, if you remove more skin, you get more scarring.  For this reason, the lollipop lift is often reserved for smaller lifts.  Having said that, it can be used for bigger lifts and reductions (in fact, I have written a paper about using if for massive breast reductions).  Unfortunately, a lot of plastic surgery is more of an art than a science and I would advise that you try to find a plastic surgeon with good results and that you feel you can trust rather than being too prescriptive about the type of scarring used.Personally, I find that a horizontal extension is often required to avoid a bump or fold at the end of the lollipop scar and this horizontal scar will vary in length according the amount of skin removed.Good luck, look for a plastic surgeon who is fully qualified by looking at the BAPRAS and BAAPS websites, which are our plastic surgery associations.