What Can I Do About Raised Scar After Breast Implants?

Scars take about a year to become fainter in texture and color, so you still have several months to go. Until then, make sure to cover up from sun exposure to avoid darkening them. You can talk to your surgeon about silicone products that can help, but your body is the best treatment in dealing with scars!

Hello! Thank you for the question!  The typical incision used for breast augmentation are: inframammary (in the fold beneath your breast), periareolar (at the border of the areola), axillary (within the armpit crease), and TUBA (through the umbilicus). Incision placement will do a lot with your preference, surgeon comfort level with that approach, and the type of implant - silicone implants will be difficult to place within certain access incisions. Breast augmentation scars are well concealed and are very discrete. They should not be visible within clothing, and likely hidden without clothing. If your concern is the visibility without garments, you should consider remote access incisions such as in the armpit. However, these other incisions heal very well on the breast and often times inconspicuous. It is common for scars to fully mature for up to a year. In the meantime, there are a few things that may help to ameliorate your incision/scar. The most proven (as well as cheapest) modality is simple scar massage. Applying pressure and massaging the well-healed scar has been shown to improve the appearance as it breaks up the scar tissue, hopefully producing the finest scar as possible. Other things that have been shown to add some benefit, albeit controversial, are silicone sheets, hydration, and topical steroids. In addition, avoidance of direct sunlight to the incision will significantly help the appearance as they tend to discolor with UV light during the healing process. If unsightly scars are still present after approximately a year's time, other things that your surgeon may consider are intralesional steroid injections, laser, or just surgical revision of the scar itself.Consult with a plastic surgeon your goals, concerns, and expectations. Certainly incisions should be considered, but should not limit your overall result by hindering visualization and access to your surgeon, and what produces the best results in his/her hands.Hope that this helps! Best wishes!

Hello Browneyes,
We often treat surgical scars (including keloid) after the initial healing period is completed. Generally speaking, your surgeon will know the best options for helping with healing the scars from your particular treatment in the days weeks and months after your surgery.
We often see surgical or trauma patients several months after the surgery or accident and are then able to use lasers and/or injections to help with any residual issues. Generally speaking, lasers work best on colored scars. We fade red scars with a pulsed dye laser and dark scars with a q-switched laser.
The color of the scar normally depends on the color of the skin. Steroid injections often help with debulking or shrinking textured scars but pulsed dye lasers can also help with this as well.

Hello,
At 2 weeks I would wait. Ask your surgeon when you can start scar gels or silicone sheeting. Time is probably your best friend here though, unless you have a history of poor scarring in which case earlier action might be indicated.

Your incision sounds like it's right on track. The reason that the scar is raised is because your surgeon knows how to close a wound. The wound should be closed so that the skin is elevated and everted. This is done so that as it matures it will flatten out and not widen.
You can use silicone on the wound at this point. We advocate Scargard as it is easy it use. You should put it on for about 6 weeks. If the scar is darker after it is fully mature, up to a year, then a scar lightener with hydroquinone can be used.

Dear Browneyes,
All surgeons close incisions differently, but since you did not mention removable sutures, you probably have an absorbable suture running under the skin surface. It is desirable to have the skin edges "evert" so that the dermis fully coapts, as this gives a better scar in the long term. At 2 weeks, the sutures are still there, and it is likely that you are seeing this eversion (and thinking it is raised). Ask you surgeon, and they can reassure you. When the sutures dissolve, this flattens out. Regarding pigmentation, I recommend some scar creams or bleaching agents. Have a look at my scar care web-page.
Best regards,
Dr. B

Hi!
Scarfade is a gel that you apply to the scars twice a day.  Silicone strips also work well. It seems to be important to k.eep the scars covered.
If the scars are still raised in another 2 weeks, see your surgeon for possible injecions of Kenalog.