In this guide19 sections
- Key Points
- What Is a Donut Breast Lift (Periareolar Mastopexy)?
- How Is a Donut Breast Lift Done?
- Who Is a Good Candidate for a Donut Breast Lift?
- What Are the Downsides of a Donut Lift?
- Donut Lift vs Crescent, Lollipop and Anchor Lift: Which Do You Need?
- Can You Have a Donut Lift With Implants?
- Can a Donut Lift Reduce Areola Size?
- What Does a Donut Lift Scar Look Like?
- Donut Breast Lift Recovery: How Long Does It Take?
- Will a Donut Lift Affect Breastfeeding or Nipple Sensation?
- How Long Do Donut Lift Results Last?
- Donut Breast Lift Before and After Photos
- What Are the Alternatives to a Donut Lift?
- How Much Does a Donut Breast Lift Cost in the UK?
- What Happens at a Donut Breast Lift Consultation?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Donut Breast Lift in London
- References
Key Points
- What a donut breast lift is: a periareolar mastopexy (also called a Benelli lift or doughnut lift) that removes a ring of skin around the areola and closes it with an internal purse-string stitch, leaving a single scar around the areola.
- Who it suits: mild sagging, where the nipple sits only slightly low, usually in small to medium breasts, and people who also want a larger areola made smaller. Moderate or severe sagging needs a fuller lift.
- How much lift to expect: a modest one. The operation raises the nipple and tightens the skin around it, but it cannot remove much loose skin or reshape a heavy breast.
- The donut lift scar: permanent, sitting where the darker areola meets the breast skin. It starts pink and firm and usually fades to a pale, flat line by about 12 months, though it can widen or thicken in some people.
- Recovery: a day-case operation of about 90 minutes under TIVA. Most people are back to light work in about five days, wear a surgical bra for six weeks and return to full exercise at six weeks.
- Main downsides: limited lift, areola or scar stretching, possible changes in nipple sensation and a lower chance of breastfeeding successfully. Breasts keep ageing after any lift.
A donut breast lift, known medically as a periareolar mastopexy, is the least invasive way to raise a drooping nipple with a scar only around the areola. It sits between the very small crescent breast lift and the more extensive lollipop (vertical) lift, and it suits a narrower group of people than many online photographs suggest. Our mini breast lift page covers the operation as we offer it.
If you are not sure which technique you need, start with our comparison of the types of breast lift and our guide to breast ptosis grades, then read about the full breast lift if your sagging is more than mild.
What Is a Donut Breast Lift (Periareolar Mastopexy)?
A donut breast lift raises the nipple and tightens the skin around it by removing a ring of skin around the areola, the darker circle surrounding the nipple. The surgeon marks two concentric circles, removes the skin between them and closes the larger outer circle onto the smaller inner one. The result is one circular scar that follows the edge of the areola, where the colour change helps it blend in.
Is a donut lift the same as a periareolar, doughnut or Benelli lift?
Yes. Donut lift, doughnut lift, doughnut mastopexy, periareolar mastopexy, round block lift and Benelli lift are names for the same family of operation, and some people search for it as an areola lift or a mini boob lift. It is also the incision used to reduce areola size, which our areola reduction page explains.
How Is a Donut Breast Lift Done?
At Centre for Surgery the operation is a day case under TIVA (total intravenous anaesthesia) and takes about 90 minutes, so you are asleep throughout and go home the same day. The steps are:
- Marking. Your surgeon marks the new nipple position and the two circles while you stand, because the breast changes shape when you lie down.
- Skin removal. The skin between the circles is removed and the skin around the areola is released from the tissue beneath as needed.
- Internal support stitch. A permanent stitch is placed around the areola like a purse-string and tightened to the planned diameter. It holds the new shape and reduces the risk of the areola stretching.
- Closure. The skin is closed with dissolvable stitches and a surgical bra is fitted before you go home.
In a 2025 technique paper in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery ↗, the authors note that the commonest complications of periareolar mastopexy involve the areola itself: a widened scar, an enlarged areola or a distorted shape. They describe a double concentric nylon suture, used in 520 patients over more than 35 years, designed to keep the areola round and reduce widening[2].
Who Is a Good Candidate for a Donut Breast Lift?
A donut lift suits mild sagging, where the nipple has dropped only slightly and the breast still has reasonable skin elasticity. In practice, it is most likely to suit you if:
- your nipple sits at or only just below the breast crease (grade 1 ptosis);
- your breasts are small to medium in size, with little weight to pull on the scar;
- you also want a large or puffy areola made smaller;
- you are happy with your breast size and want a modest lift rather than more volume;
- you are a non-smoker, at a stable weight and fit for surgery under TIVA.
It is less suitable if you have moderate or severe sagging, large heavy breasts or a lot of loose skin. A single circular scar cannot gather that much skin, and attempting it can leave a rounder breast and a stretched areola.
Can a donut lift fix sagging breasts?
Only mild sagging. The original 1980 report of the technique, a follow-up of 13 patients in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery ↗, found that the operation was quick and preserved nipple sensation, but that ptosis could recur even in small breasts, the scar often thickened and the areola spread to some extent in most patients. The authors suggested reserving it for very small breasts or a protuberant nipple and areola[1]. Stitches have improved since 1980, but the underlying limit has not changed: a donut lift gives the skin little to work with.
What Are the Downsides of a Donut Lift?
A donut lift has real limits, and an honest consultation will cover them. The main ones are:
- A modest lift. It raises the nipple by a small amount and cannot remove significant loose skin.
- Areola and scar stretching. The scar can widen and the areola can enlarge over time, which is why the internal stitch is used[2].
- A rounder shape. The breast tissue is not reshaped, and the 1980 follow-up described breasts becoming more globular[1].
- Possible revision. If the result is not enough, a second operation with a longer scar may be needed.
- Nipple sensation and breastfeeding. Both can be affected, as covered below.
For the broader picture, a 2019 systematic review of 34 studies and 1,888 patients ↗ in the Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery found that mastopexy without implants was a reliable aesthetic operation, with unsatisfactory breast shape in only 1.3% of patients and an overall complication rate of 10.4%. Scar-related problems accounted for about 3% and nipple or areola problems for 2.9%[3]. That review covers all non-implant lift techniques rather than the donut lift alone, so read it as a general guide to risk. Our overview of breast lift risks and complications gives more detail.
Donut Lift vs Crescent, Lollipop and Anchor Lift: Which Do You Need?
The choice depends mainly on where your nipple sits relative to the breast crease and how much loose skin there is. A rough guide:
- Crescent lift: the smallest correction, with a half-moon scar above the areola.
- Donut lift: mild sagging, with a scar around the whole areola.
- Lollipop lift: moderate sagging, with a scar around the areola and down to the crease.
- Anchor lift: significant sagging, with a scar along the crease as well. Our guides to the anchor breast lift and lollipop breast lift cover those techniques.
Choosing a donut lift when you need more correction usually leads to a disappointing result, which is why a good surgeon will recommend a longer scar if your anatomy calls for it.
Can You Have a Donut Lift With Implants?
Yes. A donut lift is often combined with breast augmentation when a breast has lost volume as well as position, and the implant can be placed through the same incision around the areola. An implant on its own cannot move the nipple, so if the nipple sits low, some form of lift is still needed. Our guides to breast lift without implants and breast augmentation explain when each is enough.
In an eight-year review of 56 augmentation-mastopexy patients ↗, nearly all of whom had implants placed through a periareolar incision, 17.9% had a complication. Hypertrophic scarring (8.9%) and poor nipple and areola shape (7.1%) were the commonest, and 12.5% needed a surgical revision[4]. Where sagging is more than mild, a lollipop or anchor lift alongside the implant is usually the sounder plan, and two stages is sometimes safer. Our guide to separating a breast lift and implants explains the trade-offs.
Can a Donut Lift Reduce Areola Size?
Yes, and for some people this is the main reason to have one. The surgeon can decide how large the new areola will be and close the skin to that size, since the incision is made around the areola. The new areola is usually planned slightly smaller than the final size you want, since some stretching is expected. If your main concern is a large areola rather than sagging, you may need an areola reduction alone, and our guide to large areolas explains what is normal.
What Does a Donut Lift Scar Look Like?
A donut lift scar is a single circle around the outer edge of the areola, where the darker skin meets the paler breast skin, which helps it blend in. The skin around it can look slightly puckered at first, and this settles over a few weeks. The scar then follows the usual pattern: pink and firm at first, softening from about three months and fading from pink to pale over about 12 months. Silicone gel or tape from about four weeks can help the scar mature, and protecting it from the sun for three months makes a difference.
Is a donut lift scar visible?
It is the least extensive scar of any lift, but not invisible. As it encircles the nipple and sits on a curved line, it is also the scar most likely to widen or thicken. Wide or raised scars can be treated, and a small revision is sometimes possible once the scar has matured. Our guide to breast lift scars compares what each technique leaves, and you should be wary of any promise of a scar-free lift.
Donut Breast Lift Recovery: How Long Does It Take?
Recovery after a donut lift is quicker than after a full lift. The timings below match the guidance on our service pages, and your surgeon will confirm the pace that suits you.
- Day 0 to 3: you go home the same day in a surgical bra, with tightness, swelling and some bruising. Most people resume light activities after about three days.
- Day 5: most people return to light desk work. You can shower from 48 hours, and the stitches dissolve.
- Week 3: gentle walking and light lower-body exercise can begin.
- Week 4: you can start silicone gel or tape, and should still avoid knocks to the breasts.
- Week 6: surgeon review, and a return to upper-body exercise if all is well.
- 3 to 4 months: the breasts soften and settle into their final shape.
You wear a surgical bra day and night for six weeks, and the breasts sit high and feel firm at first before softening. Sleep on your back with your head slightly raised for the first four weeks, avoid baths, saunas and swimming for six to eight weeks, and do not smoke for four weeks after surgery. Our guides to the breast lift recovery timeline and the compression bra after breast surgery go through each week.
Will a Donut Lift Affect Breastfeeding or Nipple Sensation?
Both can change, and neither can be promised either way. A donut lift keeps the nipple attached to the breast tissue beneath it, and the 1980 follow-up reported that nipple sensation was preserved[1]. Newer studies of periareolar techniques show that some patients still notice a difference. In a small retrospective study of 34 women who had a modified periareolar mastopexy ↗ in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, four reported reduced nipple sensation afterwards[5]. In practice, sensation is often altered for a few months and then recovers, but in some people it stays reduced. Our guide to cosmetic breast surgery and your nipples explains what to expect.
Can you breastfeed after a donut lift?
Many women can, but it is less certain than before surgery. In a 2024 retrospective study from a French hospital ↗, breastfeeding succeeded in 82% of women who had a baby before breast reduction or mastopexy and in 41% of those who had a baby afterwards, most often because of insufficient milk, and the authors urged caution because the cause is multifactorial[6]. A wider 2026 meta-analysis of 57 studies ↗ found that nipple correction procedures did not appear to reduce breastfeeding success substantially, whereas some breast reduction techniques did[7]. Neither study isolates the donut lift, so the honest answer is that nobody can guarantee your outcome. If breastfeeding matters to you, tell your surgeon and consider waiting. Our guides to how soon after pregnancy you can consider a breast lift and breasts after breastfeeding cover the timing.
How Long Do Donut Lift Results Last?
A donut lift is long-lasting but not permanent, and it is generally less durable than a fuller lift because it relies on the skin alone. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight change and ageing continue to act on the breast, and larger, heavier breasts drop faster. The 1980 follow-up also flagged recurrence of sagging, even in small breasts[1]. Our guide to how long a breast lift lasts explains what affects it.
Donut Breast Lift Before and After Photos
A good donut lift result is a nipple that sits a little higher and points more forward, with a smaller, rounder areola and a scar that has faded to a thin line around it. The change is modest compared with a lollipop or anchor lift, and results vary from person to person. You can browse genuine patient results in our breast lift before and after photo gallery, and at your consultation your surgeon can show you results that match your starting point.
What Are the Alternatives to a Donut Lift?
Breast implants alone can improve very mild sagging by filling the skin, but they cannot move a low nipple. A crescent lift is the smallest lift available, a lollipop or anchor lift corrects more sagging at the cost of longer scars, and fat transfer adds modest volume without lifting the nipple. Non-surgical breast lift treatments such as thread lifts are sometimes advertised. Centre for Surgery does not offer thread lifts, and there is little evidence that any non-surgical treatment gives a meaningful, lasting lift, as our guide to the non-surgical breast lift explains.
How Much Does a Donut Breast Lift Cost in the UK?
The cost depends on the technique your surgeon recommends and on whether implants or other procedures are added, so it is confirmed in writing after your consultation rather than quoted in advance. Cosmetic breast lifts are not routinely funded by the NHS. Our breast lift cost guide explains what affects the price, and finance options are available, subject to status. A two-week cooling-off period applies before you commit.
What Happens at a Donut Breast Lift Consultation?
Breast lift surgery at Centre for Surgery is carried out by GMC-registered plastic surgeons at our CQC-regulated hospital on Baker Street, and the surgeon who assesses you is the surgeon who operates. Your 45 to 60 minute consultation covers where your nipple sits relative to the crease, how much skin you have, whether a donut lift is enough or you need a lollipop or anchor lift, and the risks in full. Choosing the wrong technique is a recognised reason for disappointment, so a surgeon who tells you honestly that you need more, or less, than you hoped is doing their job. Read what patients say on our patient reviews page, and see is cosmetic surgery safe for what to check when you compare clinics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the downsides of a donut lift?
The main downsides are a modest lift, possible stretching of the scar or areola, a rounder breast shape and changes in nipple sensation or breastfeeding. It cannot correct moderate sagging, and some people need a second operation with a longer scar.
Who is a good candidate for a donut breast lift?
Someone with mild sagging, where the nipple sits only slightly low, usually with small to medium breasts and reasonable skin elasticity. It also suits people who want a larger areola reduced at the same time.
How long does it take to recover from a donut breast lift?
Most people resume light activities after about three days and return to light desk work after about five. You wear a surgical bra for six weeks and avoid upper-body exercise until your surgeon reviews you at about six weeks. The breasts settle into their final shape over three to four months.
How much does a donut breast lift cost?
The cost is confirmed in writing after your consultation, once your surgeon has agreed that a donut lift is the right technique and whether implants will be added. Our breast lift cost guide explains what affects the price.
What is the best age for a breast lift?
There is no minimum or maximum age for a breast lift, and suitability depends on your health, anatomy and plans. If you may want children, it is usually advised to wait until your family is complete, because pregnancy and breastfeeding can change the result. Our guide to the age for a breast lift covers the timing.
Is a breast lift major surgery?
A donut lift is a smaller operation than other lifts, taking about 90 minutes as a day case, but it is still surgery under anaesthetic with real risks and several weeks of restricted activity. The risks, including bleeding, infection, scarring and nipple changes, are explained in full at consultation.
What is a periareolar incision used for in breast surgery?
A periareolar incision is a cut around the edge of the areola. It is used in a donut lift to remove skin and raise the nipple, in areola reduction, and sometimes to place an implant in the same operation as a lift. At Centre for Surgery, standalone breast augmentation is normally done through the fold under the breast instead, as that gives good access for the implant.
Does a donut lift make breasts smaller?
No. A donut lift keeps your breast volume and repositions the nipple, so it does not make the breasts smaller. If your main concern is size or weight, a breast reduction is a different operation.
Which country should you have a breast lift in?
The right place is one where you can be seen quickly if something goes wrong. Bleeding or fluid collections usually appear within 24 to 72 hours, and wound checks and reviews are harder to attend after surgery abroad. Choose a GMC-registered plastic surgeon and a CQC-regulated hospital.
Donut Breast Lift in London
If you are considering a donut breast lift, a consultation with a plastic surgeon will establish how far your nipple has dropped, whether a donut lift is enough and what the scar would look like on you. Find out more about mini breast lift surgery at Centre for Surgery.
Phone: 020 7993 4849 | Address: 95–97 Baker Street, Marylebone, London W1U 6RN
Contact us to schedule a consultation
References
- Gruber RP, Jones HW. The “donut” mastopexy: indications and complications. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 1980;65(1):34–38. PMID 7350575 ↗
- Pelle-Ceravolo M, Angelini M, Ciarrocchi S, Marino D. The double intradermal continuous suture technique for the round block in periareolar mastopexy. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 2025;157(6):855e–859e. doi:10.1097/PRS.0000000000012445 ↗
- di Summa PG, Oranges CM, Watfa W, Sapino G, Keller N, Tay SK, et al. Systematic review of outcomes and complications in nonimplant-based mastopexy surgery. Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery 2019;72(2):243–272. doi:10.1016/j.bjps.2018.10.018 ↗
- Artz JD, Tessler O, Clark S, Patel S, Torabi R, Moses M. Can it be safe and aesthetic? An eight-year retrospective review of mastopexy with concurrent breast augmentation. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open 2019;7(6):e2272. doi:10.1097/GOX.0000000000002272 ↗
- Yan K, Qiao C, Yan S, Qu Y, Wang S, Shangguan W, et al. A modified periareolar auto-augmentation mastopexy: using an inferolaterally pedicled tongue-shaped parenchymal flap. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery 2025;49(8):2243–2251. doi:10.1007/s00266-024-04513-0 ↗
- Faure C, Sidahmed-Mezi M, Ferrero L, Aboud C, Roccaro G, Hermeziu O, et al. Successful breastfeeding after breast reduction surgery or mastopexy: a retrospective comparative study. Annales de Chirurgie Plastique Esthétique 2024;69(4):307–314. doi:10.1016/j.anplas.2024.05.004 ↗
- Géczi AM, Pál P, Varga T, Váncsa S, Nyirády L, Teutsch B, et al. Impact of breast augmentation, reduction, and nipple repair on breastfeeding success: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Aesthetic Surgery Journal 2026. doi:10.1093/asj/sjag117 ↗
