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Normal to be sore 7 months after gyno surgery?

  • owl100
  • Fort Washington, MD
  • 9 months ago
Recently I have been sore/tender and it looks like I have grown scar tissue in the past month. It still feels a bit tight when I put my arms above my head. I'm worried because it seems the result is getting worse every month with swelling. I had excision with lipo. Is this normal to still be tender this long after surgery?

Doctor Answers 2

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August 27th, 2016
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Bruising and swelling are normal and usually increase slightly after the removal of any tape or foam. The bruising will decrease over 3-4 weeks, but may last as long as 6 weeks. The majority of the swelling will be gone within the first 3-4 weeks. However it may take 6-9 weeks to disappear completely. The compression garment helps reduce the swelling, and the longer it is worn, the more quickly you will heal.Following surgery, your incisions will go through a maturation process. For the first few months they will be red and possibly raised and/or firm. As the scar matures, after 6-12 months, it becomes soft, pale, flat, and much less noticeable. You may experience numbness, tingling, burning, “crawling”, or other peculiar sensations around the surgical area. This is a result of the healing of tiny fibers which are trapped in the incision site. These symptoms will disappear. Some people are prone to keloids, which is an abnormal scar that becomes prominent. If you or a blood relative has a tendency to keloid formation, please inform the doctor.

Web reference: http://www.horowitzmd.com/male-plastic-surgery-newport-beach/gynecomastia/

Jed H. Horowitz, MD, FACS


Orange County Plastic Surgeon
4.9 out of 5 stars 110 reviews

Tenderness is Unusual at 7 months Post-op

August 12th, 2016
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I have not encountered any patients with tenderness after 4-5 months with that type of surgery.  Some possibilities could include a hypertrophic or keloid scar of the skin or regrowth of the breast tissue, especially if you feel like you have progressive swelling in the area.  I think that your symptoms are unusual enough that you should go and see your surgeon and get their opinion.
Good luck!

David F. Pratt, MD

David F. Pratt, MD
Kirkland Plastic Surgeon
4.9 out of 5 stars 41 reviews

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These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.