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How to Get Rid of Red and Raised Breast Reduction Scars?

I had a breast reduction & lift 15 months ago. I am very pleased with the way my breast look now except for the scars. The scars seemed to be healing very well after three months until I went to a tanning salon ( I was not told not too). Now the scars appear very red and somewhat raised. I have tried the mederma cream and it has not done anthing to the appearance. What treatment or proceudre should I consider?

Asked 34 months ago by curious in country in gulfport, MS

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raised

Lots of options to improve the appearance of scars

What you are describing does happen from time to time after breast reduction surgery, but there are a few things that can be done to improve their appearance, including scar massage, silicone ointment or sheets, and steriod injections. There is also the surgical option of a scar revision, but I would wait at least 2 years in your case until you have tried these other, non-surgical treatments, prior to have a scar revision. The non-surgical treatments should help the scars flatten and... more

Shahram Salemy, MD

Seattle Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Breast Reduction and Scarring?

Thank you for the question. Sometimes the use of silicone-based products and/or steroid injection may be helpful. Sometimes scar revision surgery and careful scar management afterwards may be helpful. Despite anecdotal reports otherwise I have not seen significant improvement with laser treatment of scars. Best wishes.

Tom J. Pousti, MD

San Diego Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Scar creams don't work for breast reduction scars.

Fifteen months is a long time to have actively healing scars, but it is not out of the question. You probably need more time. A scar revision starts the process over and you might be where you are now 15 months after the revision. Scar creams don't work. Check with your plastic surgeons. Occasionally steriod injections may help but should be done judiciously.

Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Scarring after breast reduction

Red and raised scars 15 months after breast reduction are not normal. The tanning bed certainly didn't help, but it shouldn't have made the scars raised. You may have hypertrophic scarring, which may require more than just some lotions or creams to impove. See your plastic surgeon again for scar treatment recommendations.

Carmen Kavali, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Scarring after breast reduction

Scarring after breast reduction is typically very mild. If you have read and raised breast reduction scars 15 months after surgery, this needs to be evaluated. Your skin may be having a reaction to the suture that was used for the closure. There are several options for your condition. Arrange an evaluation with a board-certified plastic surgeon so that they may assess your scars. They may recommend a small injection of steroid medication to help settle the scars. They may also... more

B. Pat Pazmino, MD

Miami Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

See your surgeon to determine how to fix scars

Without seeing you it is not possible to know what is going on. You could have hypertrophic scarring but without examining you I can not recommend treatment. Best Regards.

John P. Di Saia, MD

Orange Plastic Surgeon

Breast reduction scars

Tanning salons are a "NO NO." The scars are usually more sensitive to UV rays and can cause hyperpigmentation as I suppose happened to you. Keep them protected from the Sun or tanning booths.

Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Red scars can take more time to mature

Healing is an individual thing. Usually scars mature in less than a year, but they can take many years for the reddness and thickness to go away. You need to see your surgeon and let them decide what is the best thing to do.

William B. Rosenblatt, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Raised Red scars from breast reduction

Managment of hypertrophic scars requires that they be distiguished from keloids which continue to grow well beyond the borders of the original incision. It sounds as if you have hypertrophic scars which can grow for a period of 2 years after surgery. In the meantime scar management modalities include: Pressure therapy Massage Silicone gel sheeting: this is incovenient and most people prefer silcone ointment type preparations Use of sunblock Intralesional steroid (kenalog) injections In... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Hypertrophic scars can do well with combination therapy

Hypertrophic scars need multimodal therapy to try and improve them. I use silicone gel sheeting as a frist line treatment. If this does not seem to be helping then I use a synthetic steroid injection. In addition I use a laser to take out some of the redness. If the scars are on a bra line then I suggest using the pressure from the bra strap as an adjunct.

Michael Weinberg, MD

Toronto Plastic Surgeon

The main side effect of reduction surgery

What you most likely have are hypertrophic scars, that are raised and red,.They may itch or burn as well. scars usually mature around 18 months from surgery which is close to where you are now. Scar treatments early on do help, but you are probably not going to receive much benefit now. Your surgeon can make suggestions from, steroid injection to scar revision.

Michael S. Beckenstein, MD

Birmingham Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Other things to try

If the scars are raised and red, you may want to try Post Balm, other people have benefitted from silicone sheeting. I also recommend a discussion with you surgeon regarding very dilute injections with Kenalog (steroid). sek

Scott E. Kasden, MD

Dallas Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Ask your surgeon for additional measures

Scars will continue to mature for up to 2 years, so you may still see some improvement even if you didnothing. I agree that silicone sheeting has helped many of our patients. Individual strips can be expensive. Some of our patients have found a website www.silon.com that has larger sheets cut out for mastopexy patients. It takes using the sheeting every day for several months and making sure that you don't expose it to sun. Check with your doctor to see what other options he/she... more

Francisco Canales, MD

Santa Rosa Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Silicone sheeting

Silicone sheeting is a low risk, low cost treatment that gives reasonable results for since scars. If ineffective, you can go to laser treatment which has certain additional risks and is naturally more expensive.