Can a surgeon correct my side rolls through my existing breast-reduction scars, or would the scars need to be extended? (Photos)

Question

I had a breast reduction and still have some fullness and loose tissue along the outer sides of my breasts, near my underarms and upper back. I have attached photos. I think I have dog ears. Could my surgeon lift or remove this side tissue through my existing breast-reduction incisions, or would the incision likely need to be extended farther around my sides? Would liposuction through the existing scar help, or is a longer scar usually necessary when extra skin is involved?

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello Plucky358632 in Newport News, VA, Thank you for your question regarding whether a plastic surgeon can correct your side rolls through your existing breast-reduction scars, or whether the scars would need to be extended. Thank you for your pictures and history. Basically, you have bilateral lateral horizontal breast reduction scar dog ears. That means you have extra skin and fat at the end of breast reduction scars. Since liposuction only removes fat, liposuction alone will not work. Since you have excess skin outside the previous areas of skin resection, the incision needs to extend beyond your current breast scars. Basically, the incision would need to be extended horizontally about 4-5 inches beyond your present scar. During the procedure, a large ellipse of skin and fat would be removed. On the day of surgery, when you decide to have the procedure, bring a bra that you typically wear. During your preoperative mark-up, the resulting scar can be placed inside your bra line. I hope this information helps. Good luck. Do your research. Please ensure they have performed at least 100 torsoplasty surgeries and have before-and-after pictures to verify their results. Carefully examine their before-and-after pictures and check their reviews on RealSelf. If you cannot find an experienced plastic surgery surgeon in your neighborhood, consider traveling out of state if you must. Sincerely, Dr. Katzen (President of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, and International College of Surgery, and member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery). RealSelf Hall of Fame, and RealSelf Doctor Advisory Board for Medical Review and Consumer Panel.)

Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD · Answer

Thank you for your photos. It appears that this small skin redundancy could be managed and corrected easily with a small amount of liposuction and a small extension of incision to remove the redundant skin. This should easily be performed under local anesthesia with a quick recovery time. Best wishes.

Serdar Bora Bayraktaroglu, MD · Answer

I can clarify that addressing lateral loose tissue or "dog ears" following a breast reduction depends on the tissue composition. If the fullness is primarily loose skin rather than isolated fat, liposuction alone will worsen sagging. Therefore, surgical excision is necessary. To achieve a smooth, flat contour along the underarms and upper back, the surgeon almost always needs to extend the incision outward. Removing redundant skin through an excessively short scar creates bunching. I recommend an in-person assessment with a board-certified plastic surgeon to determine if scar extension is required for your anatomy.

Zoran Potparic, MD · Answer

In your case, a combination of aggressive liposuction  and conservative skin excision is needed to correct lateral chest-back folds. This is not necessarily part of breast reduction surgery. Good luck.

Yasemin Aydinli, MD · Answer

During your breast reduction the incision appears to have already been carried far enough to limit this side fullness. There is naturally a limit to how long an incision can be made while you are lying on your back during surgery, so some tissue toward the side can remain. From what I can see in your photos, once the fat tissue underneath is reduced with liposuction, this appearance seems likely to improve, and this can usually be done through or near your existing scar. Of course, the final decision can only be made by physical examination.

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

From the photo it does appear you have a dog ear which can be improved with the existing scar or a minor extension.  For the fullness that you mentioned, liposuction can be used to reduce that.  An examination is needed to determine how far back you need fullness addressed to determine the incisions.  However, liposuction incisions are very small and easily hidden.

Yily De Los Santos, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

Based on your photos, it does appear that you have some residual fullness along the outer breast and underarm area, which may represent a combination of excess fatty tissue, redundant skin, and what are commonly referred to as “dog ears.”

Whether this can be corrected through your existing breast reduction scars depends on how much extra skin is present. If the concern is primarily excess fat, liposuction alone may provide a noticeable improvement with minimal additional scarring. However, if there is significant loose skin, extending the incision slightly toward the side of the chest is often necessary to achieve a smoother, more natural contour.

Can a surgeon correct my side rolls through my existing breast-reduction scars, or would the scars need to be extended? (Photos)

Answers (7)

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