A breast lift is a type of mammoplasty procedure that aims to raise sagging breasts on the chest. It does this by elevating, contouring and resizing the breast for the desired appearance. When one opts for a breast lift or other breast augmentation procedures, the surgeon will discuss a range of different techniques with you to get the desired appearance. Each of the techniques is suited to different types of patients and their desired look. Some of these techniques have been used traditionally for a long time and some are relatively new.

If you are looking at having a breast lift or other breast augmentation procedures, it is important to start looking at these techniques and query with your surgeon. It is also best to go to a range of different surgeons so you can decide who to use. In this article, we will go through these techniques.

The Anchor Incision

The incision is first made around the areola, then vertically down from the centre of the areola to the inframammary fold and horizontally along the crease. This is known as an anchor incision due to it resembling an anchor.

This incision is not used as often as it is mainly for women who have extreme sagging of the breast that a less invasive incision won’t work. This is a technique that produces the most amount of scarring so it is essential that you understand this. This is also the oldest technique and can also be used for other procedures including breast reduction surgery.

Vertical incision techniques are best suited for those who need a small amount of tissue or skin needs to be removed.

The Lollipop Lift

The incision is first made around the perimeter of the areola and then vertically from the bottom centre of the areola to the breast crease. This procedure is also known as a verticle scar keyhole incision. This leaves scarring but not as much as an anchor incision.

This technique is also suitable for women who have a moderate amount of sagging who won’t be able to have less intrusive procedures. It is also suitable for those who don’t wish to have implants.

The Donut Lift

This technique only requires one incision and it is made around the areola. It is also commonly known as a peri-areola incision. The person who pioneered the technique also called the incision after himself so it is sometimes referred to as the Benelli lift.

This technique is suitable for women who have mild sagging. If the patient is willing to have breast implants, then this incision can be used for women who have more pronounced sagging.

The Crescent Lift

This technique is less used but the incision is made on the upper half of the areola. The name derives from how the technique is used. Small crescent-shaped pieces of skin are removed from above the areola. The incision is then re-attached to make the breast look fuller. This type of lift is also common when paired with a breast augmentation. It is also suited for those with minimal sagging.