"Anchor Incision" Breast Lift Animated Surgery

The anchor incision breast lift is the most powerful and versatile version of the breast lift procedure. It can address any amount of droop or skin excess, and can actually correct breasts that are not positioned correctly on the chest wall. The anchor incision lift:

• Elevates the nipple position.
• Allows for reduction in areolar size.
• Tightens the breast by reducing the skin in both horizontal and vertical directions.
• Allows for correction of breast position on the chest by lowering high inframammary folds.

The downside of the operation it that it requires a significant scar. The resulting scar is the same as for the lollipop breast lift, but also includes an incision that runs the length of the inframammary fold.

A board-certified plastic surgeon specializing in aesthetic surgery, Dr. Bogdan provides advanced surgical skill for his patients' needs.

How Anchor Incision Breast Lift is Performed

First, the inframammary fold location is marked. If the breast position is symmetric on the chest, the true inframammary folds are utilized. If one breast is higher on the chest, the fold can be lowered on that side to improve overall symmetry. Next, the desired location of the nipple is drawn and a keyhole pattern with vertical skin limbs is designed. The keyhole marks the desired position of the nipple-areolar complex, and the vertical limbs allow for skin removal in a horizontal direction. Finally, the horizontal skin limbs are created, and these will allow for the removal of skin in a vertical direction.

A circle is designed around the nipple, and the size of this circle allows us to make the areola smaller and more proportionate to the breast. The skin surface between the concentric incisions is removed. (This is typically a very small volume, so the breasts do not appreciably decrease in size.) Finally, the skin on either side of the areola is undermined to allow for transposition of the areola to its new location and advancement of the vertical skin edges towards the midline. The animated video shows these step in detail and should help clarify the procedure. To see more views of the patient shown in the animation, please visit the photo gallery.

A breast reduction procedure requires the same skin incisions as an anchor incision breast lift, the only difference being that excess breast volume is removed. If you are still uncertain how the skin movements occur in an anchor lift, please view the breast reduction video as it may help clarify the procedure.