Breast augmentation is a popular cosmetic procedure that can give you your desired breast size, boost your self-confidence, and help you reach your aesthetic goals. The path toward enhancing your natural beauty with this procedure can be an empowering decision — one that embodies both a true sense of self and a desire for transformation.
As you embark on your journey, it’s only natural to seek an outcome that reflects your aesthetic aspirations but also your desire for a seamless, flawless appearance. And while scars are a natural part of the healing process, they need not be a permanent reminder of your journey.
Below, we’ll outline the basics of what you can expect from breast augmentation scars. From why and how scars form to what you and your doctor can do in terms of maintenance and treatment, we’ll explore everything you need to know about minimizing breast augmentation scars.
Why Do Scars Occur?
Scars are a natural part of the body’s healing process. When the skin is cut or incised, the body’s response is to form scar tissue at the wounded site and repair the damage. This scar tissue is made up of collagen fibers, which might appear different from the surrounding skin due to its unique composition.
While scars are a testament to the body’s incredible ability to heal, many individuals seek ways to minimize their appearance. Fortunately, during the healing process breast augmentation scars diminish and gradually fade on their own. Breast augmentation scars after 6 months look far different than scars after two weeks.
Still, there are additional steps you can take yourself to make scars even less apparent as well. We’ll get to these further on.
Breast Implant Scars: The Importance of Placement
Breast implants require making surgical incisions to insert the implants, and this results in scars. The appearance of these scars varies based on factors like genetics, skin type, and the surgical technique used. There is no way to get breast implants without breast augmentation incisions, and there is no way not to have scars if you require incisions.
Several breast implant surgery incision options include the inframammary incision (within the breast fold), the periareolar incision (around the nipple), and the transaxillary incision (in the armpit). The goal is to choose a surgical procedure and incision location that aligns with your preferences while considering the potential for scar visibility.
As a side note, keep in mind that fat transfer breast augmentation scars are never as noticeable as implant scars. Fat transfers only require injecting repurposed fat from elsewhere on your body, so no implant incisions need to be made.
Surgeon’s Steps to Minimize Breast Implant Scars
Plastic surgeons take meticulous steps to minimize scarring and promote optimal healing after breast augmentation surgery. Here are some key strategies you can expect:
Precision in Technique
Surgeons use refined techniques to create well-placed incisions that minimize tension on the wound edges, reducing the risk of excessive plastic surgery scarring.
Suture Techniques
Dissolvable sutures are often used to close incisions after breast augmentation. These sutures eliminate the need for suture removal and allow for a seamless healing process.
Scar Management Products
Scars after breast surgery usually heal well and don’t require serious intervention. Still, most plastic surgeons recommend silicone gel or silicone sheets to encourage proper healing and reduce scar visibility.
Monitoring
After all surgical procedures, it’s important to keep in touch with your surgeon and attend all follow-up appointments. They will be checking that each breast implant stays in place and heals properly. They will ask about any discomfort, breast and nipple sensation, movement, sleeping, and nutrition. Be sure to ask them any questions you may have.
Personal Efforts to Reduce Scarring Post-Breast Augmentation
While surgeons take great care to minimize scarring, it’s important to acknowledge that some scarring is inevitable. As a positive, breast augmentation typically has fewer scars and less-severe scarring when compared with breast lift surgery.
Genetics and individual healing responses play a role in scar healing and development. However, you can also take proactive steps yourself to help mitigate the appearance of breast implant scars:
Follow Post-Operative Instructions
Adhering to your surgeon’s post-operative care instructions is of the utmost importance following breast implant surgery. This includes keeping incisions clean, avoiding strenuous activities, and following medication schedules.
Stay Hydrated and Nourished
A balanced diet rich in vitamins and nutrients supports the body’s healing processes, potentially aiding in less visible scarring. We recommend increasing your protein intake especially.
Avoid Smoking
Smoking can hinder the body’s ability to heal and increase the risk of complications following your breast augmentation procedure. This means that smoking can even negatively impact the appearance of scars.
Use Gentle Scar Massage
As long as you have your surgeon’s approval, gentle scar massage can encourage proper collagen production, which can potentially reduce scar tissue and improve scar texture and appearance. Notably, scar massage may help significantly in preventing the formation of capsular contracture.
Contact Us for a Breast Augmentation Consultation
If you are considering breast augmentation, our experienced team is here to guide you through every step of the process — from your initial consultation with board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Matthew Schulman to post-operative care under the guidance of Dr. Schulman.
At your consultation, you will talk with Dr. Schulman about your goals and medical history and take a look at breast augmentation before and after photos to get a better idea of what you can look forward to. You can also discuss things like breast augmentation surgery cost, how to plan for breast augmentation recovery, and when you’ll see results.
We will work closely with you to create a personalized surgical plan that addresses your goals and concerns. Reach out to us today to schedule a consultation and take the first step toward achieving your dream results today!
References
https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/blog/what-is-capsular-contracture-and-how-can-it-be-treated
