Breast Lift Scars & Breast Lift Without Implants: Dallas Guide

Medically reviewed by John L. Burns Jr., MD, FACS · Board-certified plastic surgeon · Dallas, Texas · Updated October 2026

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In this article

1. What a breast lift is, and who needs one
2. Breast lift scars by technique
3. How breast lift scars heal
4. Breast lift without implants
5. Results and how long they last
6. Breast lift recovery
7. Risks
8. Cost and insurance
9. Planning a breast lift in Dallas
10. Frequently asked questions

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight changes and genetics all stretch the breast skin, so the breast sits lower and the nipple points down. A breast lift, or mastopexy, removes the stretched skin and reshapes the breast tissue higher on the chest. The question I hear most is not whether it works, but what the breast lift scars will look like, and whether you can get a breast lift without implants. Here is an honest answer to both.

What is a breast lift, and how does it work?

A breast lift is breast reshaping surgery. I remove the excess, stretched skin, reshape the breast tissue into a rounder, higher cone and move the nipple and areola back up to the front of the breast. A lift changes shape and position, not size. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons describes it the same way: the breasts are raised by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue.

How sagging (ptosis) is graded

The amount of sagging decides the incision, and the incision decides the scar. Surgeons grade sagging, called ptosis, by where the nipple sits relative to the fold under the breast. In mild sagging the nipple sits around the level of the fold. In moderate sagging it has dropped below the fold. In severe sagging it sits at the lowest point of the breast and points toward the floor.

Who is a good candidate?

You may be a good candidate if your nipples point downward or sit below the breast fold, your areolas have stretched, or one breast hangs lower than the other. Results are best when you are at a stable weight, don't smoke and are finished having children, since pregnancy can stretch the skin again. If your breasts are both heavy and low, a breast reduction includes a lift and may be the better operation.

Breast lift scars by technique: crescent, donut, lollipop and anchor

There are four main breast lift incisions. Each leaves a different breast lift scar and delivers a different amount of lift.

Crescent

Donut

Lollipop

Anchor

The lollipop breast lift

The lollipop breast lift, or vertical lift, skips the scar in the breast fold and can work well for moderate sagging of up to about 4 cm. The trade-off is that the vertical scar can stretch and lengthen as the breast settles, and it often needs a revision.

Why I generally use the anchor lift

In my practice I generally use the anchor technique. It does leave the longest scar, but it gives the most reliable, longest-lasting lift and lets me reduce a stretched areola. The fold scar sits in the crease, where it is hidden by the breast itself and by a bra or swimsuit. A smaller scar on a lift that drops again in a year or two is not a good trade. You can read more about each approach in Breast Lift Procedures (Mastopexy) for Drooping Breasts.

Explore breast lift surgery in Dallas

Boob lift scarring: how breast lift scars heal over time

Breast mastopexy scars start pink and slightly raised, then slowly flatten and lighten. Early care matters. My patients follow a staged scar-care protocol:

What helps a breast lift scar heal well

Timelines are estimates, not guarantees. Genetics, skin tone, sun exposure and smoking all affect how a scar matures, and some people are prone to thick, raised scars. What you can control makes a real difference:

• Don't smoke or vape nicotine.
• Keep tension off the incisions. Wear your surgical bra and avoid heavy lifting until cleared.
• Protect scars from the sun. New scars can darken with sun exposure, so keep them covered.
• Tell us early if a scar is getting thicker, itchier or redder rather than flatter.

Laser scar treatment

This is where my background is unusual. I was the first plastic surgeon in the U.S. to complete a fellowship in laser surgery, and our on-site EpiCentre lets us begin laser scar treatment from about four weeks after surgery, typically over about four sessions. Laser does not erase a scar, but it can help it blend in sooner. Learn more about our laser skin resurfacing options.

Breast lift before and after. Individual results vary. See more in the before-and-after gallery.

Can you get a breast lift without implants?

Yes. A breast lift without implants raises the breast, reshapes it into a rounder, perkier form and moves the nipple and areola back to the front of the breast. If you are happy with your size and simply want your shape back, you don't need an implant.

A lift doesn't add volume or much upper-breast fullness. There are three ways to approach it:

Either way, the lift is the most important part of the operation. Volume can't fix a nipple that points down or skin that has stretched. If you are considering implants, the FDA's breast implant information is worth reading before your consultation. For patients who need extra support of the lower breast, an internal bra may also be an option.

Breast implants without a lift

An implant alone adds size, but it does not remove stretched skin or raise a low nipple, so with real sagging the breast can sit low over the implant. If your nipple position is good and you mainly want more volume, a breast augmentation on its own may be all you need.

Non-surgical breast lift: what it can and can't do

Creams, tapes and skin-tightening devices do not reposition breast tissue or remove stretched skin. Chest exercises strengthen the muscle underneath, but they don't change where the nipple sits. A surgical lift is the only option that reliably changes breast shape.

Breast lift with implants. Individual results vary.

Breast lift results: how long does a breast lift last?

You will see a higher, rounder breast right away. The shape settles over the following months as swelling resolves, and the scars keep maturing for up to two years.

Breast lift results are long-lasting, especially with the anchor technique, but no operation stops time. Gravity, aging, pregnancy and weight changes still affect the breasts. Keeping a stable weight and wearing supportive bras helps you keep your result. If you plan more children, it is often worth waiting, or combining your lift later with other procedures in a mommy makeover.

Breast lift recovery timeline

Most patients describe tightness and some incision discomfort rather than severe pain. I use long-lasting local numbing during surgery, close the incisions with steri-strips and place you in a surgical bra. A drain usually isn't needed, which makes the first days simpler.

Every breast lift recovery is different, and these are typical estimates rather than guarantees. We will tell you when it is safe to step up activity.

Breast lift risks

Like any surgery, a breast lift has risks. They include bleeding, infection, wound-healing problems, changes in nipple or breast sensation, asymmetry, and visible, widened or raised scarring. Some patients need a small scar revision later, more often with the shorter-scar techniques.

Choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon, not smoking and following your aftercare instructions all lower your risk. We review every risk with you at consultation.

How much does a breast lift cost in Dallas?

Here is what my patients typically pay, alongside the national average surgeon's fee:

My quoted prices include the surgeon, the surgical facility, the anesthesiologist and your post-surgery bra. The ASPS figure, by contrast, is the surgeon's fee alone, so it is not an apples-to-apples comparison. The cost of a lift with implants varies with the implant you choose. If you are comparing mastopexy cost between practices, ask what each quote includes.

Breast lift without implants cost

A breast lift without implants is the "lift alone" figure above, about $8,750. Adding fat transfer adds liposuction to the operation and changes the quote, which we price individually at consultation.

Does insurance cover a breast lift?

Usually not. A breast lift is considered cosmetic, so insurance does not typically cover it. Most patients use plastic surgery financing through CareCredit, PatientFi or Cherry. Adding a lift to an augmentation? See How Much Does Breast Augmentation Cost in Dallas?

Planning a breast lift in Dallas

Texas summers mean pools, lakes and strong sun, and you will need to stay out of the water for six weeks and keep new scars covered. Many Dallas patients schedule a breast lift in the fall or winter so they are healed and their scars have had time to start fading before swimsuit season.

Our office on North Central Expressway is convenient for patients across Dallas–Fort Worth, and out-of-town patients can start with our online consult. You can also read what other patients say in our patient reviews.

My approach to breast lift surgery

I choose the technique your anatomy needs, not the one with the shortest scar on paper. Here is how the process works:

1. Consultation. We talk about your goals, health history and whether you want more volume.
2. Measurements. I assess your degree of sagging, skin quality, nipple position and breast width.
3. Your plan. Lift alone, lift with fat transfer or lift with implants, and the incision pattern, with your scars shown on a diagram.
4. Surgery day. Long-lasting local numbing, steri-strips and a surgical bra; usually no drain.
5. Scar program. Ointment, then gel and silicone sheeting, then optional laser from about week 4.

Why patients choose Dr. John Burns for breast lift surgery in Dallas

A breast lift is a trade of loose skin for a scar, so both halves matter: careful incision planning for a lift that lasts, and laser expertise to help those scars fade. Dr. Burns brings more than 25 years of breast surgery experience and the first laser surgery fellowship completed by a U.S. plastic surgeon to both.

• Board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery; Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS)
• More than 25 years of experience in aesthetic plastic surgery
• First plastic surgeon in the U.S. to complete a fellowship in laser surgery, at UT Southwestern Medical Center, where he is a Clinical Instructor of Plastic Surgery
• Plastic surgery residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch (summa cum laude, Research Honors Program; Alpha Omega Alpha); microvascular training at MD Anderson Cancer Center
• Graduate of Vanderbilt University; cosmetic surgery training in Miami, Florida
• Named one of America's Best Plastic Surgeons by Newsweek (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026)
• D Magazine Best Doctors (2023, 2024, 2025, 2026) and D Magazine's "The Face of Breast Augmentation" (2024, 2025)
• Texas Monthly Super Doctors (2024)
• Medical Director of JOLA Aesthetics, an Allergan Double Black Diamond practice ranked among the top 20 in the U.S.
• Past President of the Dallas Plastic Surgery Institute
• Board of Directors and contributing surgeon, Share-A-Smile Foundation

Meet Dr. Burns

Frequently asked questions

Continue reading

Breast lift with implants →Breast lift procedures for drooping breasts →Breast augmentation in Dallas →Mommy makeover in Dallas →

Sources: Dr. Burns' breast lift page; ASPS: Breast lift; ASPS 2024 average surgeon fees; FDA: Breast implants. This article is for education and is not medical advice. Individual results vary.