Nowadays, plastic surgeons use several incision patterns to accommodate the different types of breasts and the desired result of each patient.  Some of these techniques have been used for a long time, while others are quite new and are usually associated with fewer scars and shorter recovery period.  (The picture below is the incision pattern of full mastopexy.)

The anchor lift is the oldest and most invasive technique used in breast lift surgery.  In this procedure, plastic surgeons create an incision line that resembles the shape of a nautical anchor: an excision around the areola, another one that begins at the areola down to the crease, and one more that extends horizontally and covers the breast fold.

This plastic surgery technique is best suited for women with large breasts with moderate to severe sagginess.  But due to its invasiveness, this is not recommended for patients with small- to medium-sized breasts especially if they have minimal to moderate sagginess.

For some women, the lollipop incision provides a better result compared to the anchor technique.  In this approach, surgeons remove the horizontal cut on the breast crease, thus resulting to an incision line that resembles a candy on a stick.

The lollipop incision is best suited for medium-sized breasts that have a moderate degree of sagginess.  And because it removes the horizontal cut on the crease of the bust, women can expect one less scar, less bleeding, and shorter downtime compared to the anchor technique, according to plastic surgery specialists.

For patients with a mild to moderate degree of sagginess and want to have breast implants to make their bust appear fuller and rounder, plastic surgeons will usually recommend the donut lift technique which involves an incision around the circumference of the areola.

Through the incision around the areola, plastic surgery specialists can remove the excess skin, tighten the tissue, and insert the breast implants.  Ideally, the implants should be placed under the chest muscles so that more tissue and skin can provide a reliable, bra-like support which in turn prevents or at least postpone future sagginess.

Regardless of which breast lift technique is used, it is important that patients are physically healthy, emotionally stable, and have realistic goals and expectations with the procedure.

To treat the sagging bust, plastic surgeons use a specific procedure called breast lift which usually involves three incisions: the first one is around the edge of areola to reposition the nipple; the second incision runs vertically from the areola down to the breast crease; and the third one runs horizontally on the bottom of the breast.

As with any plastic surgery, consultations and physical examination is needed to ensure the safety of patients and determine if they are a good candidate for breast lift surgery.  This means that they should have no psychological issues, health problems, and unattainable expectations and goals.

During the initial consultation, plastic surgeons take measurement of their patients’ breasts while they are upright (standing or seated).  In this way, doctors can determine what is the specific technique they should use to treat the sagginess and improve the contour of the breasts.

Before plastic surgery specialists perform breast lift, they first administer general anesthesia to make their patients asleep during the entire operation.  However, local anesthesia can also be used in which the patients are heavily sedated and numb but awake; this is safer than the general anesthesia and can make the surgery less expensive.

Once the anesthesia has taken its effect, plastic surgeons will create three incisions to remove a flap of skin and reshape the tissue in order to correct the sagging contour.  In most cases, the areola and nipple are repositioned to a higher place, although these are not completely removed from the original blood supply to prevent the risk of permanent numbness.

But in the severe case of sagginess, the areola may be completely removed from its blood supply which usually results to permanent loss of sensation.

In some cases, patients request implant surgery to be performed in conjunction with their breast lift.  In this way, their bust will appear fuller and more “youthful.”

To prevent or at least postpone sagginess in the future, plastic surgery specialists place the implants partially or completely under the muscles that will provide a reliable “bra-like” support to the synthetic materials.  With this implant placement, patients can also expect a more natural appearance than placing this behind the tissue.

The anchor-shaped incision is generally ideal to patients with severely sagging breasts.  However, this plastic surgery approach may be too extensive on women who have a minimal to moderate droopiness or those who only want a “slight lift.”

Fortunately, plastic surgeons can resort to less invasive breast lift techniques which involve shorter downtime, less scarring and bleeding, and reduced post-operative pain and discomfort compared to a more involved plastic surgery.  One of the most popular of these is called the lollipop technique which removes the breast crease incision, thus creating a lollipop-shaped scar.

Generally, the lollipop technique results to shorter recovery compared to the anchor-shaped incision because the breast crease is the surgical site that takes the longest time to heal.

Another minimally invasive technique is the donut-shaped incision in which plastic surgery specialists create an incision around the areola, allowing them to remove a small segment of skin, tighten the tissue, and raise the nipple to a higher position.  But due to its limited incision, this approach is only ideal to women who have small to medium breasts which have mild to moderate sagginess.

The donut-shaped incision is also referred as Benelli mastopexy or concentric breast lift.

Meanwhile, the crescent technique is the least invasive of all the breast lift methods and is designed to lift the areola and a small amount of breasts of women who suffer from mild sagginess.  In some cases, plastic surgeons complement this procedure with breast implant if a woman also wants to increase her bust size and further improve its firmness.

In this approach, plastic surgeons create an incision that is shaped like a crescent around the top border of the areola.  In this way, they can remove a small segment of skin tissue, raising the areola by 1.5 to 3cm and the nipple by 1 to 1.5cm—which means that only women with minimal sagginess can benefit from this procedure.

Despite the countless advantages of minimally invasive techniques, doctors only recommend these to patients who have smaller breasts and have minor sagginess and skin laxity.  But for larger breasts with severe droopiness, these procedures will not create a significant and long-term result.

Want a tummy tuck with that?

Until now, patients were concerned about being under anesthesia too long. Or at least the time required for breast surgery and a tummy tuck, the popular procedures often referred to as a ‘mommy makeover.’

The procedure got that name because, as you may already know, pregnancy and nursing can be very hard on the mother’s body.

As a fetus grows into full term, the mother’s stomach muscles are often stretched beyond the point of rebound.

After birth, those loosened muscles allow the abdomen to bulge in a small – but nonetheless bothersome – pot belly.

Breasts don’t fare much better. After being filled with extra fluids and tissue they are then emptied, resulting in sagging.

Many of these women often say to cosmetic surgeons and plastic surgeons: “I just want my pre-baby body back!”

And have it they shall. In safety and at a rate less pricey than undergoing separate breast augmentation and tummy tuck proceudures. Plus, you can imagine the benefits of going through only one recovery period!

Reported in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, one practice studied the health records of 268 women who had a mommy makeover from 1997 to 2007.

The breast surgeries included:

• Breast enhancements only
• Breast lifts only
• Augmentation and breast lifts
• Breast reduction
• Removal and replacement of breast implants

The procedures were all performed by highly experienced, Los Angeles board-certified plastic surgeons in a certified surgery center. While the patients had no additional risk from the combined surgery, it does not mean all practices, everywhere will deliver the same results.

You still must do your plastic surgery homework and check on certification of the surgeons and surgery center.

Tummy tucks included:

• Mini tummy tucks
• Full tummy tucks
• Circumferential tummy tucks, or, lower body lift
• Reverse tummy tuck (for excess skin above the belly button).

(Read more about the breast enlargement and tummy tuck study.)

Study results showed no life threatening conditions. Thirteen percent of the patients asked for revisions, meaning they wanted some part, or the entire, procedure done over again. Most of those requests involved tummy tuck scars or seromas, pockets of clear fluid.

Complications for the combined procedure was close to the rates for doing each surgery by itself.

In this video, Jennifer, a young middle school teacher with four toddlers, sees a Minnesota plastic surgeon for breast augmentation and goes ahead with the procedure. Like many moms, Jennifer only wants to restore her bosom to where she was before marriage and children. It’s non-gory, G-rated, has very minimal nudity and wonderful classical music.

View the breast augmentation video.