Breast Reduction: Q&A
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Suturing Technique for Less Scars?
I'm getting a breast reduction. Is there a suturing technique that surgeons use that will leave me with the least amount of scarring?
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15 Doctor Answers |
Asked by
Sarah415
in Sacramento, CA
+2
Short scar or minimal scar techniques
Our before-after gallery has several examples of patients who had short scar surgery, had an unsatisfactory result, and had a surgery to convert those results to a longer-scar technique... with improved results!
So my colleagues are right on in noting that it is the surgeon, not the technique, that will give you the greatest chance of obtaining a great result.
It is often a mistake to try to get too much correction from minimal incisions techniques. A fine plastic surgeon who ha
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Plastic surgeons are trained in the best suturing techniques to give you the best scar
A breast reduction is usually performed with a anchor shaped scar. This is an incision around the nipple areolar complex, then down the center of the breast and usually at or just above the inframamary fold. The breast tissue will be shaped and positioned with deep sutures. The skin will be brought together with several rows of sutures. There is a buried subcuticular layer of sutures which will pull the deep layer of skin together firmly and evert the skin edges. This is the most important...
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Breast Reduction And Suture Technique?
Thank you for the question.
Generally, layered closure of all tissue planes will allow for as little tension as possible on the superficial layers of skin. This relatively “tension free” closure of the final layer may help scars remain as fine as possible. You should keep in mind, that despite a surgeon's best efforts, some scars do not heal as well as he/she hopes.In these cases, scar revision surgery may be necessary.
Generally, breast reduction surgery...
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Breast Reduction and Scarring
Unfortunately whenever you cut the skin you will get a scar and breast reduction surgery is associated with reasonably lengthy scars as a result of removing the excess skin, fat and breast tissue. Although the length of overall scar is an important issue, the quality of the scar is equally so and fortunately most scars will heal quite nicely. You will need to be patient however as the scars will change dramatically as they evolve over the year after surgery. Most plastic surgeons will use a...
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Ways to obtain the best possible scars following breast reduction surgery
Surgical technique including placing virtually all of the sutures deep to the skin will help you obtain the best possible result given your particular genetic issues and skin characteristics. Longer lasting dissolvable sutures can protect the incisions for a greater period of time thereby providing you with the best opportunity to obtain narrower scars.
Using surgical tapes for a few weeks after surgery followed then by scar reduction agents such as Mederma, silicone gel or silicone...
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Silicone gel sheets for scar improvement after breast reduction
As some of the comments point out, the specific suture technique generally does not matter as much as the tension, patient genetics, age, etc. However, things can be done AFTER the surgery to minimize the scars. One option that has been demonstrated to work in well designed scientific studies is silicone gel which comes in sheets that can be applied to scars starting 1-2 weeks after surgery. For best results, it should be used at least 12 hours per a day for at least 2 to 3 months. The...
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Least Amount of Scarring
Although a patients genetic predisposition plays a very large role in scarring, there are a few surgical techniques that can minimize scarring:
1.tension free closure of the incision-this means ensuring the skin envelope is not too tightly closed over the remaining breast tissue
2. careful handling of tissues: crush injury to the tissue edges can lead to loss of blood supply (ischemia) and result in poor healing
3. appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis:...
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Appearance of scars with breast reduction
Scars are not a direct result of the suturing technique although it is one important factor. Other issues relate to a person's genetic tendencies for healing, the wound tension, suture material, medical history, age, etc.
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Suturing Technique to reduce Scars
Although all plastic surgeons strive to reduce scars, there are many small things that can be done to improve the resultant scar. Doing the procedure so that there is no tension on the wound is most important. Particularly in breast reduction, use of a deepitheliazed margin improves the strength of the scar. Use of a subcuticular suture that is non-absorbable or absorbs over many months significantly improves the scar strength to prevent spreading. Ask for B&A pictures and look at the usual...
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Highlands Plastic Surgeon
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Suturing technqiues and scarring
All plastic surgeons do their best to leave their patients with theleast amount of scarring. This can be minimized by using less incisions and non-reactive suture material with little to no tension.
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Suturing Technique for Less Scars
As ALL the previous posters have stated, especially Dr Rand, "it is no only the surgeon but the technique (sic)". I agree it is the combination of the surgeon's experience and using subcuticular methods. That is why you need a board certified plastic surgeon. From MIAMI Dr. Darryl J. BLINSKI
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Sewing for the best scars
The keys to getting the best scars are to go to an experienced real plastic surgeon who knows how much tension you need to balance the best reduction result vs worse scars. Too tight will make bad scars, too loose will make bad shaped breasts. The type of suture is less important than your own body's natural healing tendencies, some people just make worse scars than others.
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Suturing for fewer scars
There are techniques which reduce the total length of scars. Short scar reduction mammoplasty or vertical reductions leave the breast with a shorter total length. There are also techniques to reduce suture marks. If sutures are placed within the skin rather than on top of the skin, or avoiding the use of staples, we try to reduce the "railroad track" appearance.
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Which suture technique gives the best scars?
The technique that leads to the best scars is a closure without tension on the skin and if it is placed in the natural wrinkle lines. Scar quality is also influenced by you ethnicity, healing ability, infection, etc. You will probably have an anchor scar reduction, and with this technique there's significant tension on the infamammary crease suture line due to the design of this operation. This incision is at higher risk for thick, raised hypertrophic scars.
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Suture technique only part of achieving good scars
There isn't any one best technique or suture type that always produces the best scar, and your plastic surgeon will make the choice based on experience. Other factors such as tension on the skin edges are ultimately more important.
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