Breast Lift and Implants Incision Reopened After Stitches Taken Out?

Judging from your photos, I would be worried about infection so this should checked out by your surgeon. Please see your surgeon again to have this addressed.

Hello. The opening of an incision after a Breast Lift is very common. Although it does not look infected you should consult with your surgeon about any possible concerns.

 

Jaime Perez, MD
Breast Augmentation Specialist
Plastic Surgery Center of Tampa

Let's begin with the picture that shows both breasts.  Overall, I think you have a great opportunity for a very nice result.  The open wound that you show and describe seem to be superficial and it is my opinion that with proper wound care it will go on to heal well over time.  Continue to work with your surgeon for your best results.

It appears that you have a suture knot that has become infected and worked its way to the surface.  The suture needs to be removed.  Once removed the area will heal normally.   All that is required at this point is to have the sutures, which at this point are acting like a foreign body, removed and proper wound care.  If you develop an invasive infection then antibiotics are required.  

Thank you for the question and pictures.

Overall, it seems that your plastic surgeon has done a very nice job for you. It is not uncommon for patients to have ( usually minor, self-limiting) superficial separations along the incision line after this type of surgery. Sometimes, this opening is related to “spitting” of sutures used to close the suture line.

I would suggest continued follow-up with your plastic surgeon.  Most likely you will go on to heal with  of very nice results achieved.

Best wishes.

Unfortunately, some area or areas of incision separation can occur during the healing phase, more commonly after a breast lift than a breast augmentation, and perhaps more commonly after both performed at the same time (more tension on the incisions because of the underlying volume increase from the implant, less blood supply to the skin from the pocket dissection for the implant).  In any event, this can also occur from a "suture abscess" where an underlying absorbable suture "spits" out rather than absorbing, and a minor superficial infection occurs that can lead to wound separation.  This does not necessarily indicate an infection of the breast or of the implant. Any open wound leads to some drainage. Your surgeon can advise you as to proper wound care (cleansing, antibacterial ointments, dressings), and as long as the implant is not exposed or the wound itself is not getting infected (which usually is indicated by increasing redness around the open wound), this should heal up on its own over time. If the scar is wider in this area, your surgeon could revise it some months later.