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Your Guide to Breast Lift Scars

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September 30, 2025 | Breast Lift
4 minute read

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Breast lift surgery offers women the opportunity to reshape their breasts and restore them to a more youthful shape and position. Whether you desire a breast lift after pregnancy, weight loss, or simply desire an enhanced bustline, you may be wondering what breast lift scars look like and whether they’re worth the surgery. This blog will discuss incision locations and how to minimize the appearance of breast lift scars with proper incision care and non-surgical treatments.

Table of Contents

What Is a Breast Lift?

Breast lift surgery, also known as mastopexy, is a plastic surgery procedure that removes excess skin and repositions the breast tissue for a more lifted, youthful breast contour. It’s an excellent procedure for patients who want to address elongated or sagging breasts, downward-facing nipples, and breast changes caused by pregnancy and weight loss.

Breast lift surgery has many benefits, among them being:

  • An enhanced breast shape
  • Youthful, lifted breasts
  • Improved nipple position
  • Expanded wardrobe options
  • Increased confidence

What Do Breast Lift Scars Look Like?

The appearance of your breast lift scars will depend on which breast lift incision was used for your procedure. There are generally three breast lift incision options:

  • Crescent (Peri-Areolar): A crescent lift involves an incision around the top half of the areola and corrects mild sagging or downward-pointing nipples.
  • Lollipop (Vertical): A lollipop lift involves two incisions: one around the areola and one running vertically down from the areola to the breast lift. The lollipop lift is ideal for correcting moderate sagging.
  • Anchor (Wise Pattern): An anchor lift allows for the most extensive lifting and reshaping of the breasts. There are three incisions: one encircling the areola, one running vertically down to the breast crease, and one horizontally along the breast crease.

Tips to Help Breast Lift Scars Fade

While scars are part of the unavoidable reality of surgery, there are steps you can take to help your scars fade during the recovery stage.

  • Keep your incisions clean. This helps prevent infection, which can exacerbate scarring.
  • Apply silicone gel or silicone strips. These help keep the incision hydrated as it heals and help form a flatter, softer scar.
  • Ask your surgeon about post-surgical massage. This can help promote circulation, decrease inflammation, and break up scar tissue.
  • Wear your surgical bra, and wear a supportive bra when exercising.
  • Stay amply hydrated. If the skin is hydrated, it promotes better scar formation.

Treatments to Help Fade Breast Lift Scars

If you are past the recovery stage of breast lift surgery and the tips above aren’t of much use to you now, or if you are curious about additional ways to fade breast lift scars, the following treatments may be of interest to you:

  • Laser treatments: After scars have become permanent, laser treatments can help reduce their appearance. They also stimulate cell turnover, which can help repair the damaged skin at the scar site.
  • Chemical peels: This simple treatment helps to remove damaged skin cells and resurface the scar area, making chemical peels a great method for lightening and significantly fading the scar over time. 

Learn More About Getting a Breast Lift in Orange County

If you are interested in breast lift surgery, our highly skilled plastic surgeons at UCI Plastic Surgery can help you learn more about this procedure and determine if it’s the right fit for you. To schedule a consultation, give us a call today at one of our several convenient locations: (714) 456-3077 (Orange), (949) 999-2411 (Costa Mesa), or (714) 456-3077 (Tustin), or complete the online contact form.