How to Fix Pain from Scar Tissue After Breast Reconstruction?

Pain that occurs in reconstructed breasts can occur for several reasons. Most commonly, pain can occur in a reconstructed breast that develops capsular contracture. Pain can also occur secondary to scar contracture, especially when there is a small amount of residual breast tissue left in place.Occasionally, the process of tissue expansion can put pressure on the chest wall and cause pain in this manner. Although operating for breast pain does not always relieve the pain, there are... more

The pain one has after breast reconstruction can be due to contracture of the capsule around a breast implant or from contracture of the overlying tissue. In either one of these cases, the scar tissue would need to be excised and surrounding tissue mobilized to allow more freedom of movement. The problem can also be due to injury to one of the nerves supplying sensation to the breasts. If the nerve itself has been injured and is regenerating,the pain will be temporary and would... more

The problem with pain in the breast area after reconstruction is that it can be caused by many different things. Scar tissue is only one of the causes. The other problem is that it is sometimes very hard to relieve. However, with careful evaluation and, sometimes, a little trial and error, relief can generally be provided. What you need is a thorough evaluation by the doctor who did the reconstruction. If you get no answers, then you need to see an experienced plastic surgeon that has done... more

 The only way to treat scar tissue that is painful is to excise it. I do not know of any other techniques to treat it except for steroid in small skin scars that are red and raised.

There are many potential causes for the pain. It could be capsular contracture, fibrosis, bony discomfort, axillary scarring, intercostial brachial cutaneous neuropathy, radiation changes, neuromas, etc. In my experience, the most common cause is a taut axillary scar that often is involved with a caspular contracture. Conversion of an implant to autologous tissue recosntruction may provide vascularized tissue that prevents recurrent capsular contracture but therre are many other... more