24 Apr 2026 | by Sean Doherty, MD, FACS
Age comes for all of us. Skin and tissues begin to lose their plump fullness starting in your mid-20’s. It’s the natural result of the decline in every body’s collagen and elastin production. This typically manifests as loose, sagging skin. Furthermore, certain lifestyle choices may speed up the process. In terms of the breasts, these choices include pregnancy, breastfeeding and weight gain/loss. If you look in the mirror and are bothered by the fact that your nipples are no longer centered on your breast mound, it may be time to consider a breast lift. This powerful procedure can not only rejuvenate the appearance of your breasts but may also make your waist look smaller and your abdomen appear longer and leaner. Patients are always pleasantly surprised by how much a breast lift positively affects their self-confidence. Mothers will often describe it as feeling like themselves again.
However, some patients are concerned with the question: “Will a breast lift leave a visible scar?”. Yes, but that does not mean that you shouldn’t consider the procedure. Here’s why.
Do I Need a Breast Lift?
The internet has completely changed most patients’ relationship to aesthetic surgery. Not only has it had the positive impact of removing the stigma that was often associated with having “work”, but it has also allowed patients to educate themselves on their procedures of interest. Today, it is more common than not for a new patient to come into one of my Boston area offices telling me exactly which breast procedure she wants. This is a bit of good news, bad news. Generally, patients think that all breast issues can be improved with a breast augmentation. This is not actually true. A breast implant can only increase volume. It cannot lift sagging skin and tissues. That is the job of a breast lift and why it’s so important for you to schedule an in-person breast surgery consultation with a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon, such as myself.
During our meeting, I will listen intently to what bothers you about the appearance of your body contour. We will discuss, in detail, your medical history, family history, lifestyle, prior procedures (aesthetic or not) and how your body recovered. We will review photos of breasts that you admire in order to make certain that we are on the same page in terms of the “look” you want to achieve. Then, I will conduct an in-depth physical exam to assess:
• Native breast volume
• Nipple position in relation to the inframammary fold
• Health of breast skin
• Status of existing breast implant, if applicable
For any procedure to be long-lasting, effective and natural looking, it must be the right one for your individual anatomy. A breast lift can be a stand-alone procedure for those with enough volume and a moderate to severe amount of skin laxity. Or we can add a breast implant and/or fat grafting to the breast for patients who also need more volume.
Best Ways to Improve a Visible Breast Lift Scar
As mentioned, the single biggest deterrent for most women when it comes to a breast lift is the idea of a scar in such an important spot. While this fear is understandable, scars on the breast actually heal extremely well. But there are steps that you can take to help achieve this outcome. The most important thing is choosing an experienced breast surgeon. My surgical technique places as little tension as possible on the surface of your skin. Since this is one of the bigger contributing factors to a less-than-ideal incision line, the end result is the least conspicuous scar that your body can achieve. Having said that, every person is genetically inclined to scar in a certain way. One of the main reasons why I take so much time during our initial meetings discussing any past procedures you’ve had and how your body recovered is to establish your unique baseline of healing. Some patients are at a higher risk of developing a raised scar. In these cases, a breast lift is still an option, but we will add one or more scar treatment therapies such as:
• Microneedling
• Lasers
• Topical Silicone treatments
Furthermore, depending on the type of incision that you’ll need, I do my best to hide the incision lines in the crease beneath your breasts, for example. The other factor to keep in mind with breast lift scars is that you will need to practice patience. Even with the addition of scar therapies, incision lines may take up to a year to fully mature. So, while a scar is an inevitable outcome of any surgical procedure, most breast lift patients agree that the trade-off is worth the result.
To find out more about a breast lift, or any other surgical or non-surgical procedure with Dr. Sean Doherty at his Boston or Chestnut Hill office, contact us today or call (617) 450-0070 to schedule a consultation.
