Radiation on my right breast has caused the skin to be very tight. Can this be fixed?

Question

Radiation on my right breast has caused the skin to be very tight. It makes this breast ride a lot higher than the other. Is there a solution other than surgery?

Ryan Rebowe, MD · Answer

Moisturizers and massage can help tight skin following radiation, but surgery is the gold standard. Surgery may be indicated in order to release tight scar bands or physically replace the tight skin with non-radiated skin from the latissimus muscle or the abdomen. Fat grafting (liposuction and fat injection) may also help skin that has radiation fibrosis. While all of these surgeries have advantages and disadvantages, there are many good options for fixing this problem.

Finny George, MD · Answer

Hi, thank you for sharing this question. Radiation damage is quite significant and can create challenging situations. While there are options to help improve your situation, photos and a physical exam would help to better identify the solutions. This may require taking soft tissue from one part of the body to replace the damaged breast tissue.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

Without including pictures, we can’t really begin to make an assessment. There are no non-surgical treatments for radiation damage.
I suggest you consult with plastic surgeons who have extensive experience with breast reconstruction in your area. Working with a radiated tissue is difficult and sometimes formal breast reconstruction using non-radiated tissue is necessary.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom, MD

Radiation on my right breast has caused the skin to be very tight. Can this be fixed?

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Radiation on my right breast has caused the skin to be very tight. Can this be fixed?

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