There are many different incision techniques and patterns used in mastopexy and each of them is suited to different kinds of patients and desired outcomes. Some are traditional techniques that have been in use for quite long time, while others are the latest that use start-of-the-art technology. So, if you’re considering undergoing this surgical procedure to lift your breasts, it’s important to understand all the options available to you. Here are different techniques of breast lift surgery.

1. The Anchor Incision (Traditional Breast Lift Technique)

This technique uses just three incisions. The plastic surgeons make an incision around the areola’s perimeter – horizontally along your breast crease and vertically down from your areola to your breast crease. This technique comes with the most scarring, but it’s the most suitable for those patients with extremely sagging breasts because it allows the surgeon to get rid of excess tissue and skin, especially where less invasive techniques may not help sufficiently. The anchor incision is actually the oldest techniques that can be used for a breast reduction as well.

2. The Lollipop Lift (Vertical Breast Lift Technique)

The incision is often made vertically down from your areola to the crease of your breasts and around the areolas perimeter – also referred to as “keyhole” incision. Also known as lollipop or circum-vertical lift, the vertical breast lift technique is the best option for women with average sagging breasts and those who don’t wish to have implants inserted.

3. The Scarless Lift

The scarless lift is suitable for some women whose cosmetic concerns are basically losing volume of the breasts rather than dealing with actual sagging. There are scarless procedures that can be done to lift the look of your breasts. These surgical procedures can use or combine quill threads, smart lipo, breast implants, and/or thermage to lift your breasts with very minimal scarring. The scarless lift technique is only suitable for women with little sagging of the breasts.

4. The Donut Lift

Also known as, circumareolar mastopexy technique, the donut lift uses just a single incision around your nipple border. It’s the best option if you want fairly subtle results because it limits the removal of excess tissue and skin to the area around your nipple. With this surgical procedure, it’s possible to elevate your nipples, but the internal tissue of your breasts can’t be rearranged. Additionally, this technique tend to minimize the projection of your breasts and even that of the nipples. It’s the best choice for women with fairly less sagging.

5. The Crescent Lift

Although the crescent lift isn’t commonly used as the other techniques of mastopexy, there is a fourth type of incision wherein the line of incision lies along the areola’s upper half. The surgeon removes a crescent-shaped piece of skin above that incision line, and reattaches the surrounding skin to the areola. This procedure is often carried out together with breast implants and it’s suitable only for those women with mild degree of sagging. It can’t accomplish the same level of lifting as other breast lift techniques though.

Conclusively, an experienced plastic surgeon can help you determine the most appropriate technique for your specific needs and provide the desired results. Most often, plastic surgeons with adequate experience in mastopexy will look at the overall breast size, amount of excess tissue and skin, and the degree of sagging to determine the most suitable lift technique.