Will my breast reduction scars fade any more? (Photo)

Question

I had a breast reduction just over a year ago. Overall I am happy with my result however my scars are redder than I had hoped. I have a previous surgical scar on my knee and from what I remember it took longer than a year to fade to white. When I compare my breast reduction scars to the surgical scar on my knee it seems that they are darker. I find that my scars appear almost white in natural lighting but in all other lightings are still red. Will they fade more even though it’s over a year?

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Plastic surgery scars require attention after surgery so that they remain cosmetically-appealing and barely noticeable. In our office, we use a protocol for scars that minimizes their activity in the 6-8 weeks after surgery. If you have late plastic surgery scars, you may also require laser and RF therapy to help reduce the longterm effects of the scarring. Keloids, hypertrophic scars, widened scars, red scars, and hyperpigmented scars all require scar modulation with topical creams followed by lasers and RF therapy. Topical skincare should be directed to a specific need, whether for pigmentation or hypertrophy and our office can guide you through the process to obtain the correct Plato’s Scar cream or Melarase cream for hypertrophy and discoloration. In terms of lasers, we would employ the vbeam laser for redness, Venus Viva RF, PRP microneedling, chemical peels, and Morpheus 8, fractional erbium, or fractional co2. All of these have their individual benefits. Most of all, we recommend you visit a solid plastic surgeon who understands surgical scar revision, laser therapy, and RF therapy for scars. 
 
Best, 
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

As scars mature over months to a year, the quality of the scar usually improves.  There is almost always lightening of the scars.  If these continue to be an issue, scar revision is probably the most reliable option.  The color of the scar can be improved by a variety of modalities. Kenneth Hughes, MD, Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear katzzzy,in most cases, it can take a full year for a scar to fully mature. If you are concerned about your scar, I would suggest you to consult your plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Richard Bloom, MBBS (Hons), FRACS · Answer

Hi there Katzzy and thanks for posting,Your scars are quite reasonable but I do think they will continue to improve with more time.The scar on your knee although paler, is quite stretched so its not as good a scar.Apart from time, you could consider some laser treatment to help with the redness. At Re. that is part of our surgical fee because we find it is quite helpfulBest wishesRichard

George Papanicolaou, MD · Answer

Hello,

From your pictures, your scars look pretty good. I do see the slight pink that you mention, and that can fade even more over time , sometimes up to two years. It is not always guaranteed though. It has a lot to do with the quality of the skin, sun exposure, and even hormones. I would give it a little more time to judge the final color. If you are still unhappy, you can visit your plastic surgeon to discuss any creams or silicone strips to use for scars. Best wishes.

Will my breast reduction scars fade any more? (Photo)

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