When to start massaging scar tissue after gynecomastia surgery?

Most likely your plastic surgeon will inform you at your follow-up appointment as to when you may begin #massaging. She or he will also instruct you on how to properly #massage the area for effective results. In the meantime, the following information about the healing process may help as well. 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.

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. Also, as you heal, the area may feel “lumpy” and irregular. This, too, decreases with time, and massaging these areas will help soften the scar tissue. The #compression garment helps reduce the swelling, and the longer it is worn, the more quickly you will #heal. It can also assist in the retraction of the skin. If you have any concerns about #healing, its best to ask questions of your surgeon or their nursing staff.

Hi,Thanks for the post. At 1 week you are very early in the healing process. Swelling can be a factor but some other things that can cause asymmetric swelling at 1 week are bleeding (hematoma) and fluid collection (seroma). These would need to be evaluated by your plastic surgeon in person as massaging would not help in either situation. Sincerely,Dr. Dadvand