Breast lift with implants: Which technique leaves the least scars?

When most women ask for a Breast augmentation, they imagine a larger breast positioned where their breast was when they were in their younger years. They also want some cleavage. For the final result they want as minimal or undetectable a scar as possible.

If you are getting a straight Breast augmentation without lift, the scar will be very small, no matter which technique the surgeon employs. However, if your breast nipple is at the same level of the inframammary fold or sags below the fold, you should get a Breast lift with your implants.

For a Breast lift with implants, the scar is something that you should discuss in detail with your plastic surgeon. There are basically three choices of incision locations and there is a huge difference in the type of scar left by each technique.

the scar is something you should discuss in detail with your plastic surgeon

The technique which leaves the least amount of scarring is the Benelli procedure. Let’s review the three different techniques to understand better what the scar looks like. The three techniques are the Lollipop scar, Wise pattern, and the Benelli procedure.

Lollipop scar

The Lollipop scar circles around the nipple plus another vertical scar down the middle of the breast. The scar around the areola is well disguised, as it is in the transition zone between the darker areolar skin and the lighter breast skin. However, the vertical scar is on the bottom half of your breast, right down the middle, plain as can be against the smooth breast skin.

Wise pattern scar

The Wise Pattern Scar is also known as ‘the anchor scar’ or ‘inverted T scar’. This scar is problematic for many reasons. It is too much scarring in my opinion, and in some cases too much skin is removed relative to the increased volume you get with an implant.

Benelli scar – periareolar

The Benelli Scar is a periareolar (around the nipple) scar known to patients as the donut scar.

Done correctly, it heals very well and is almost imperceptible after surgery because the human eye interprets the scar as the border between areola and breast skin.

I now use the Benelli scar on nearly all of of my breast lifts with implants. Women with a sagging or low areolar position no longer have to choose between a low hanging breast or a lot of scars. Since the Benelli or donut breast lift scar is almost invisible, women with saggy breasts or low areolae can now have it all- almost invisible scars and a youthful breast with cleavage! Be sure to check out our previous blog posts on mastopexy scars, cleavage, and implant placement.