Breast Reduction on Keloid-prone Skin?

Based on your description of breast size and symptoms you may be an excellent candidate for breast reduction surgery; it is one of the most patient pleasing operations we perform. It would be in your best interests to meet with well experienced board certified plastic surgeons for consultation; during this consultation you may get a better idea if you are at higher risk for abnormal scarring. Ultimately, you'll make an informed decision, after weighing the pros and cons,... more

Breast reduction surgery is a very popular and effective way to remove tissue that may cause symptoms such as pain or discomfort and to contour the shape and position of your breasts. If you have a significant amount of breast tissue and this is causing shoulder, neck, or back pain, a breast reduction may help alleviate these symptoms. Many times, the skin on the breast may heal more nicely than the skin and other parts of the body even in a keloid prone patient. However, there is no... more

If you truly are a keloid former, then I absolutely would not perform a breast reduction on you because the risks of keloid formation would be very high. If your breast are very fatty you may be one of the rare patients that liposuction to diminish the weight burden would be probably acceptable through a single 1 cm incision on each breast. Now, many people think they are keloid formers when actually they form hypertrophic scars. In this case, they are a bit easier to deal with and more... more

Some patients are prone to keloid scarring, and some body areas are more prone than others too. As with any surgery, you will have to make up your mind over the risk of scars versus the relief you will get from a breast reduction. Scars fade with time, and there are some therapies like silicone gel sheeting and skin lighteners that may help improve the appearance of scars after surgery.

Many patients believe they have keloid when in some cases they develop hypertrophic scars, which are different. I would suggest finding a board certified plastic surgeon in your area and have her/him evaluate you. Number one, you might have hypertrophic scars which are easier to manage. Number two, maybe you are a candidate for breast reduction via liposuction, which requires only very small incisions. I have also used the new Quill sutures and found these helpful in patients with a... more

This is a difficult question. I had a similar patient several years ago. I removed a small amount of breast tissue under local before proceeding with the reduction. After 2 months the scars were acceptable, so I performed a bilateral reduction and she did develop some very bad scarring. The scars were treated with laser and steroids and became more acceptable. As is the case with all surgery, you must weigh the potential benefits and risks when making your decision.