Breast Reduction Surgery with Anchor Incision, Istanbul

Patient Overview

• Patient: Elif

• Age: 34 years old

• Gender: Female

• From: Germany (originally from Turkey)

• Procedures: Breast Reduction with Anchor Incision and Internal Bra Technique

• After photos taken at: 2 months post-surgery

• Location: Istanbul, Turkey

Anchor Breast Reduction in Istanbul: Elif's Story

Elif is a 34-year-old patient originally from Turkey, living in Germany, who traveled to Istanbul for a breast reduction surgery with Dr. Cem Berkay Sinaci. Like many women who return to Turkey from Europe for aesthetic surgery, Elif chose Istanbul for the combination of specialist experience, high surgical standards, and significantly more accessible cost compared to private surgery in Germany.

Her surgery addressed the physical and psychological burden of disproportionately large, heavy breasts — a condition known medically as macromastia or breast hypertrophy. Dr. CBS performed a breast reduction using the anchor incision technique combined with the internal bra method, removing excess breast tissue and skin, reshaping the breast mound, repositioning the nipple-areola complex, and securing the result internally for long-term lift and shape. These before and after photos were taken 2 months after surgery.

What Is Macromastia and Who Needs Breast Reduction?

Macromastia — abnormally large breasts relative to a woman's body frame — is far more than an aesthetic concern. Women with disproportionately large breasts commonly experience chronic neck, shoulder, and upper back pain from the constant weight pulling forward; deep grooves in the shoulders from bra straps; skin rashes and irritation beneath the breast fold; difficulty exercising and engaging in physical activity; and significant self-consciousness and emotional distress affecting daily quality of life.

Breast reduction surgery is one of the highest-rated procedures in plastic surgery in terms of patient satisfaction, precisely because it addresses real, measurable physical suffering — not merely aesthetic preference. Many patients describe the result as life-changing: they can exercise without pain, stand without discomfort, and wear clothes they had previously avoided for years. At 34 years old, Elif's reduction also relieves the cumulative physical strain that, if left unaddressed, often leads to permanent spinal and postural changes over time.

The Anchor Incision: The Most Complete Breast Reduction Technique

There are several incision patterns used in breast reduction and breast lift surgery — the periareolar, the vertical (lollipop), and the inverted-T or anchor incision. The anchor breast reduction — named for the shape of the resulting scar — uses three incision lines: a circle around the areola, a vertical line running from the bottom of the areola to the breast crease, and a horizontal line along the inframammary fold. Together these form the anchor or inverted-T pattern.

The anchor technique is the most comprehensive and versatile approach for breast reduction and breast lift in patients with a significant amount of excess tissue and skin. It allows the surgeon to remove the greatest amount of breast tissue and skin, reshape the lower pole of the breast precisely, reposition the nipple-areola complex to the correct height, and close the breast envelope in a controlled, tension-free manner that produces the most predictable long-term shape. While the lollipop technique works well for moderate reductions, the anchor approach is the gold standard for larger reductions where maximum tissue removal and thorough reshaping are needed. The resulting anchor scar, although longer than a vertical scar, fades significantly over 12 to 18 months and sits within the natural breast crease and areola border — largely hidden in everyday clothing and swimwear.

The Internal Bra Technique: Securing the Shape from Within

One of the key challenges in breast reduction — and breast lift surgery more broadly — is maintaining the result over the long term. After the breast tissue has been reshaped and the envelope closed, gravity, tissue relaxation, and skin stretch can cause the breast to gradually descend again over the years. This is a limitation of any technique that relies on the skin alone to hold the reshaped tissue in position.

The internal bra technique addresses this directly by creating an internal support structure within the breast itself. During surgery, the reshaped breast parenchyma is secured to the underlying chest wall fascia using permanent or long-lasting absorbable sutures, forming an internal scaffold that holds the breast in its new, lifted position from the inside. This significantly reduces the reliance on the skin envelope for long-term support and substantially improves the durability of the result — meaning the breast retains its shape and projection for longer compared to a standard anchor breast reduction or anchor breast lift without internal fixation.

For Elif's case, the internal bra was an important component of the surgery — ensuring that the smaller, reshaped breast maintains its lifted contour for years to come, not just in the early post-operative period.

Breast Reduction vs. Breast Lift: Understanding the Difference

Patients searching for breast reduction surgery in Turkey often ask how breast reduction differs from breast lift surgery — and whether they need one or both. The distinction is important. A breast lift (mastopexy) reshapes and elevates the breast by removing excess skin and repositioning the nipple, but does not significantly reduce the volume of breast tissue itself. It is appropriate for women who are happy with their breast size but unhappy with the position and shape.

A breast reduction removes both excess breast tissue and excess skin — reducing the overall size and weight of the breast while simultaneously lifting and reshaping it. Because volume is removed as part of the procedure, breast reduction always achieves a lift as well. In this sense, breast reduction is the combination of volume removal and mastopexy in a single procedure. Patients who need to lose both size and gain lift — like Elif — are ideal candidates for breast reduction surgery. The anchor incision used in Elif's procedure is shared by both anchor breast lift and anchor breast reduction techniques, adapted to the specific amount of tissue removal required.

Traveling from Germany to Istanbul for Breast Reduction

Germany has a large population of patients who travel to Turkey for plastic surgery — both Turkish nationals living in Germany and German patients who recognize the quality and value that Istanbul offers. Breast reduction surgery in Turkey costs a fraction of equivalent private surgery in Germany, and patients benefit from the same — or higher — standard of surgical care, internationally accredited hospitals, and English-speaking medical teams experienced in caring for international patients.

For patients like Elif who are originally from Turkey, returning to Istanbul combines the comfort of a familiar environment and language with access to top-tier plastic surgery at home. Many German-based Turkish patients describe the experience of having surgery in Istanbul as seamless — particularly when working with a clinic that routinely manages international patients from Europe, the United States, and beyond.

Results at 2 Months: Smaller, Lifted, and Symmetrical

These before and after photos were taken 2 months after surgery. At this stage the breasts have settled considerably from the initial post-operative swelling and the result is clearly visible. The breasts are significantly smaller and lighter, the nipple-areola complex has been repositioned to the natural, youthful position, the breast mound is rounder and more defined, and the symmetry between the two sides is excellent.

The anchor breast reduction scars at 2 months are still in the early maturation phase — they will typically appear pink or red at this stage and will continue to fade, flatten, and soften over the following 10 to 16 months. By 12 to 18 months post-surgery, anchor scars are generally very well tolerated and largely inconspicuous in clothing. Most patients consider the trade of the scar for the dramatic improvement in breast size, shape, and physical comfort to be entirely worthwhile.

Why Choose Dr. CBS for Breast Reduction in Istanbul?

Dr. Cem Berkay Sinaci is a European and Turkish board-certified plastic surgeon, Fellow of the European Board of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (EBOPRAS), and member of ISAPS and ASPS. He performs the full range of breast surgery — from breast reduction and breast lift to breast lift with implants — with a focus on natural, proportionate, and long-lasting results. His use of the internal bra technique in breast reduction and mastopexy cases reflects his commitment to giving patients not only a great immediate result, but a result that holds up over time. If you are considering breast reduction surgery in Istanbul and are traveling from Germany, the UK, the USA, or elsewhere, contact Dr. CBS to arrange a consultation.