Scars are part of the breast surgery package– or any plastic surgery for that matter. It’s your body’s natural response to an incision. Some women worry about surgery scars after breast surgery. But breast surgery scars are usually managed well and generally hidden under the breast. This is because the scar location is in the breast crease area (for breast augmentation). Each procedure creates a different scar as it requires a different technique. This blog outlines all breast surgery procedures and the scars left after each. It also discusses options to reduce scars after breast surgery.
Unfortunately, there is NO surgery that doesn’t create some form of scarring. Yet, with the right treatment, scars can turn white and lighter in colour. This is the goal of all scar treatments – to help them appear less noticeable. It is impossible to completely remove scars after breast surgery.
Breast surgery has many aims. It can help to lift, shape, increase or reduce the size of the breasts. The type of breast surgery you undergo depends on your surgical goals. All these procedures need an incision, so all patients will have a scar.
Scars after breast surgery can be a concern for some. So, it is important to take steps to reduce their appearance. Below you will find some treatments that you can do at home. These help breast scars heal faster, become less noticeable and prevent infection.
Smokers have an increased risk of poor wound healing. This is because of decreased skin circulation. Therefore, it’s recommended that you stop smoking 4 – 6 weeks before and 4 – 6 weeks after your surgery.
Scar treatments such as silicone gel sheeting and steroids can treat scars. As well as this, LED light therapy and other topical treatments have proven useful.
** Make sure your scars have completely healed before doing any self-scar treatments. Your nurse will tell you when it’s ok to start scar treatments at your 6-week check-up appointment.
Dr Doyle recommends Strataderm products for plastic surgery scars.
Strataderm gel is a topical gel that can help improve the appearance of surgery scars. It contains two active ingredients, silicone and glycerin. These help to give you a more even skin tone and an improved scar texture.
The clinical efficacy of Strataderm has earned Dr Doyle’s trust. He’s seen some great results early into this breast surgery scar treatment. Because of this, we now stock 20g tubes of Strataderm at Gold Coast Plastic Surgery.
Scars can be raised, red, rough, thickened and irregular in shape. It’s more difficult to remove a scar the older it is. If your scar is older than 12 months old, it’s harder to reduce its visibility than if it is a few weeks old. Our general tips for reducing scars after breast surgery include:
A scar results from the biological process of wound repair in the skin and other tissues. For this reason, you should eat a nutritious, post-surgery diet. This will help wound healing and improve the appearance of your scars.
Scars can be in various places after breast surgery. They may be below the breast, on the breast and sometimes under the armpit. The location of your scar will depend on many factors. This includes the type of procedure you have, and how much skin has to be removed from that area. Dr Doyle will discuss where your scar might be during your initial consultation.
Breast augmentation scars are under the breast tissue. This is in the breast crease or the inframammary fold underneath the breast. They will not be as visible because they are in a hidden location. Yet, scars from breast surgery can show if you are wearing clothing that does not cover your entire chest.
Breast reduction scars are along the inframammary fold and down the centre of the breast. These scars tend to be visible since they are on top of the breast. They can also show if your clothing does not cover your entire chest area.
Dr Doyle generally uses the anchor breast lift technique or inverted T incision. This technique involves making three incisions-
Breast lift scars are in a similar location to breast reduction. However, scars from a mastopexy generally do not need an incision under the breast.
Also known as a vertical breast lift technique, it only requires two incisions. One encircles the areola and the other extends from the areola to the lower natural crease of the breast. It gets its name, lollipop breast lift, as the incisions form a lollipop-like structure. This technique is suitable for moderately loose (ptotic) breasts.
Breast lift with implant scars require the same technique as a breast reduction. The lollipop technique allows Dr Doyle to lift the breasts. And, an inframammary incision allows Dr Doyle to place the implants. This leaves scars under the breast, around the areola and down the breast to the breast crease.
Breast implant removal surgery removes breast implants. This can be done for many reasons. Incisions are over the original breast augmentation incisions, so as not to leave a new scar. This allows Dr Doyle enough room to remove the breast implant and capsule in one piece.
Breast implant replacement surgery replaces old breast implants with new implants. Dr Doyle will generally make incisions over the original breast augmentation scars. This way, the scars will be hidden in the breast crease, and only one scar line may be visible on each breast.
The short answer is yes, but it takes time and patience. Scars will continue to lighten in colour as they fade over time. There are also products that can be used to help minimise scarring such as Strataderm.
The scars left behind after breast surgery can be a source of concern for many patients. The good news is that these scars will generally fade and become less noticeable over time.
The answer to this question depends on the type of scarring you experience. Some people have hypertrophic or keloid scarring, which can take longer to heal. The good news is that scar treatments can speed up the healing process. You may need to wait until your post-op appointment before you know what would work best for you.
There are many ways that you can do this, but one of the best is by using silicone gels. These can remove the scarring and tighten up the skin in that area. Silicone gels usually result in a smoother appearance.
Scars can take up to 12 months to fade away. While you can improve their appearance, you will not be able to rid them completely.
What helps to reduce surgical scars?
It’s always a good idea to wait until your wound has closed before starting a topical scar treatment. Your surgeon or registered nurse will be able to confirm this with you, although this typically happens around 2 – 4 weeks post-surgery.
Dr Mark Doyle is a fully qualified Specialist Plastic Surgeon with over 30 years of experience performing breast, body, face and nose surgery. He has completed all required training and only carries out approved surgical practices. There are NO undertrained doctors or cosmetic doctors acting as surgeons at Gold Coast Plastic Surgery.