15 Days Since Brachioplasty. Wound Separation in Underarms. How Long to Repair Itself?

Hi, I had a brachioplasty with lipo 15 days ago. A few days ago I noticed minor separation on one underarm and pretty bad separation in the other. The doctor gave me Aquacel to dress it. She didn't seem very worried, explained this is very common in the underarms, and was optimistic that it would heal well. My question: How long should it take to heal? Does this mean I may have really terrible scars where the wound separated? On a happy note, the rest of the incision is healing wonderfully!

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2 weeks post-op healing open wound

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5 Doctor Answers | Asked by arizonaslimming in tempe, az

Doctor Answers (5)
Community Comments (1)

Wound separation after brachioplasty

Some separation is not uincommon and will heal by itself over time. Once the scar has fully matured (3-6 months) you may require a minor scar revision. Regular soap and water and the use of absorbent dressings is really all that is required for now.

Arm Lifting and Open Wound?

I'm sorry to hear about the complication you have experienced after arm lifting surgery. Depending on the size of the wound, it may take a few weeks before it heals completely. In the meantime, I would suggest continued close follow-up with your plastic surgeon who is in the best position to advise you more precisely. Best wishes; hopefully you will be very please with the long-term outcome of the procedure performed.

Brachioplasty and Incision Separation

The incision at the axilla is very prone to separation as this is an area of tension and is subjected to additional tension during movement. This will heal uneventfully provided it is small. Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Healing occurs about 1mm a day

In general, wounds heal at a rate of about a millimeter a day. This is based on the width of the separation and not necessarily the length. Many factors play a role (your genetics, nutrition, local factors like pressure and moisture, and whether the deep layer of sutures is still holding). This is unfortunately somewhat common after body contouring, but most of the time the scars are still acceptable. The good news is that even if you are not happy with the scar, a revision is usually quite... more

15 Days Since Brachioplasty. Wound Separation in Underarms

This is not an uncommon problem. Hard to answer specifics without a photo, but chances are your surgeon is not misleading you. How long it may take to heal depends upon how large is the defect, and that info I don't have. This question will best be answered by your surgeon. Thanks, all the best.

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Comments (1)

gaylebco 12 Feb 2013

Just for future knowledge,(after the wounds heal) I use "Scar away" silicon sheets held on with lightweght stretch tubular net dressing over it to hold them in place (i'm allergic to tape) and the scars have started fading already with these on. When i take them off I use a Vitamin E oil massaged into the area. Good Luck

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