By plastic surgeon Dr Dirk Kremer. 

The most effective way to give your breasts a permanent perky lift and improve their general overall appearance is no doubt choosing to undergo a breast lift surgery procedure.

Although the cosmetic procedure is incredibly popular among women, one common question that is often asked during consultations is how much scarring can you expect from breast lift surgery?

Plastic surgeons take different approaches to the breast lift procedure, with several different variations of the operation possible based on the patients individual needs.

These variations result in three different types of breast lifts, with each serving slightly different needs and with each having its own unique incision pattern.

The popular variations of breast lift surgery include:

Traditional breast lift

The traditional breast lift procedure is often referred to as the “anchor” style or inverted “T”. The traditional approach involves an incision (and thereby, the scar) being made around the areola, down the centre of the breast, and along the base of the breast where it meets the chest.

Results tend to be more predictable with the traditional breast lift method, but patients must bear in mind that this is largely due to an extra incision that needs to be made along the fold of the breast.

Circumareola breast lift

The circumareola lift involves an excision of skin around the areola in the shape of a doughnut, resulting in a scar around the entire edge of the areola.

Based on scarring alone, the circumareolar breast lift method typically leaves the least visible scarring as the incision is made only around the areolar, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that this method will produce the best and most natural overall aesthetic results for your breasts. This is because although it leaves the least scarring, it is also the least affective lift when it comes to the repositioning of the areolar and reshaping of the breasts.

Vertical breast lift

The vertical breast lift results in a lollipop shaped scar, as this method involves a keyhole pattern with a small incision around the areola that runs down the centre of the lower breast.

Many cosmetic surgeons prefer the vertical breast lift method over the others as it typically provides the most scope for carrying out improvements, such as more lift and a more aesthetically pleasing shape, all with minimal scarring. However, if a patient requires even more lift that can be achieved with the vertical method, a modification may be suggested to the incision.

Read: Debunking 5 common breast lift myths

While minimal scarring will naturally be very important to you when considering breast lift surgery and the method that is to be used, it’s important to also consider other important factors such as the overall results that can be achieved in both the lift and shape of your breasts. A consultation with a reputable and experienced plastic surgeon with expertise in breast surgery will help you better understand what can be achieved if a breast lift is performed on you as an individual, as well as provide you with an opportunity to discuss the procedure in more detail and answer any of your questions or concerns.

If you’re wondering whether breast lift surgery is right for you or would like to learn about any other breast surgeries, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me here at Harley Street Aesthetics by calling 0845 519 7232, e-mailing info@harleystreetaesthetics.com or by completing our simple online contact form.