My incision around my areola split open. Is this serious/common? End results? Healing? (photos)

Question

I have a gape from where my incision split open around my areola 2 weeks post breast aug. Its growing a lot and Now it's ab. the size of a silver dollar. The Gape is the same size as my nipple. In 1 week it multiplied in size. It's not infected. I didn't have a lot of tissue to work w/ and this is the result of that. Could this have been avoided? I was getting it dressed 2x a week but was switched to twice a day. How long will the healing take? Is this serious? What outcome can I expect?

Gary Lawton, MD, FACS · Answer

If the implant does not become exposed, the wound should heal and there will be a spread scar, but that is all.  If the implant becomes exposed, it will be infected and need to be removed for a period of time.  This is the risk of the combination of mastopexy and augmentation.

Eric A. Weiss, MD, FACS · Answer

First of all, from the pictures it doesn't look too bad. This should go on to heal up over the next couple of weeks. From the pictures it looks like you had a mastopexy or at least an areolar reduction as well. This increases the risk of poor healing as it adds to the tension of the repair. Also if you smoke, poor or delayed healing can occur. If you do smoke, stop and it will heal much quicker. After complete healin, you may require a scar revision.Eric Weiss MD

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

Healing is a fluid phenomena that occurs differently in each case. In your there has been slight separation of the edges that will close in a few weeks with good care..

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

If you have a permanent suture around the border of the areola and it is exposed, you might need to have it removed. If there is no permanent suture present, then it will likely heal on its own with good care.

Stephanie Power, MD, MSc, FRCSC · Answer

Based on your photographs, it appears that you underwent augmentation-mastopexy (breast lift plus implants) and developed a partial dehiscence (wound partially opened up).  A dehiscence may occur following this type of surgery given that the implant and breast lift create opposing changes with respect to the skin envelope.  The breast lift results in skin tightening whereas the implant stretches the skin envelope by adding volume.  The implant places additional tension on the wound closure, which is tighter to begin with since skin has been removed through the lift.A small dehiscence alone should continue to heal secondarily (without further surgery) as the edges contract and healing occurs from the wound base.  Based on wound size as shown in your photographs, I would estimate that healing should be complete within 1-2 weeks and you should follow up with your surgeon in the interim to ensure additional complications do not develop (infection or implant exposure in particular).  In terms of outcome, final scar maturation occurs by one year post-operatively.  Small dehiscences generally heal well and often do not require further surgery.  If the final scar is slightly wider in that region and bothers you, your surgeon may suggest a small scar revision in the future after clinically examining your scar appearance and quality.Best, Stephanie Power MD, MSc, FRCSC

My incision around my areola split open. Is this serious/common? End results? Healing? (photos)

Answers (5)

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