3 weeks post-op: should I massage my incision to soften it?

It is almost always best to do what your surgeon recommends. We all have slightly differing approaches to scar management. The scientific evidence suggests that silicone will improve scar outcomes. I usually recommend the use of a silicone gel sheet from around 2 weeks post breast surgery, assuming the wound has healed normally. This should be continued up to 3 months post surgery. Scars take a long time to settle and can remain red for many weeks after surgery.

Best to follow your plastic surgeons recommendations for scar management.  I prefer to keep the incision covered with micropore  (paper) tape for the first 6 - 8  weeks and apply SkinMedica Scar Recovery gel on top of the tape twice a day.  Change the tape every 3 -4 days.  I find that most patients want to be proactive when it comes to scar management.  This starts with planning the incision, placement, how the incision, how the incision is repaired ( all out of the control of the patient) , the only thing the patient can do is either scar massage or better use the scar recovery gel as I described earlier.