My areola does not seem like it was sewed up properly - bunched up & ripples can this lead to a bad healing w/ scaring? (photo)

Don't be depressed!  First off, it appears from your photo that you had a type of breast lift or mastopexy. The pleating should settle down with time, you are only 3 weeks out, try to be patient. Consult with your surgeon, especially about care for your scars.

The photo shows that you had a periareolar or donut mastopexy popularized by a french surgeon by the name of Benelli. The pleating look will subside over time, but it definitely causes some healing issues because they have sewn a longer perimeter to a shorter areola perimeter. Often there is a non desolvable, permanent suture, often Gortex to prevent the areola from widening. This suture can cause problems with exposure and may have to be removed. For all these reasons this is not my favorite method of mastopexy, but it does give you the advantage of avoiding the vertical scar. I suggest that you give it some time to heal and saddle down.  

You had a Benelli lift which can be prone to star bursting from he cinching or the large ring of skin around the areola. In the right patient, this can work quite well.  At this point, you will probably have to wait several months to see how it settles.