Breast Lift Scar After Pregnancy

Christina, Congratulations on your pregnancy!!!!!!!

Recent breast scars (usually within 1 year of the surgery) are very susceptible to changes with pregnancy.  With pregnancy comes a significant surge in hormonal activity which can lead to weakening of the scar healing process and darkening of the scars.  Additionally, as your breast size increases with pregnancy, the scars can widen as a result of the stretching from the growing breasts.  The change in scar appearance is variable for each woman although women with darker skin tone tend to have more of the darkening effect.

The good news is that once you have stopped breast feeding, many of these changes will significantly improve or completely disappear.  Scar widening is not reversible and this can be addressed at the appropriate time.  If any of these changes remain, discuss with your plastic surgeons the options available to correct them.  Most importantly, best wishes for a beautiful and healthy child!!!

Recent (less than one year old) breast incisions will be affected by a new pregnancy.  These scars may:


Darken:  more common in women with medium skin tone.  Usually the darkening is temporary and reversible after 6-12 months from stopping breast feeding.

"Pink up":  more common in women with lighter skin tone.  This phenomenon is due the the "reactivation" of the scar building by the pregnancy hormones, and it is completely reversible after breast feeding is  completed.

Thicken:  may affect all women of any skin tone, but it is more common if pregnancy occurs in the first 6 months from surgery.  The scars may take a long time to flatten out and may remain more visible permanently

Spread-widen:  this happens due to the weakening of the scar structure caused by the pregnancy hormones.  Unfortunately scar widening is permanent.


Scar revision is possible and usually very successfull after the pregnancy hormones and have settled and breast size has stabilized.