Do wide breast lift scars get better over time? (photo)

Best Scar Management is important to minimize or completely hide from view, the telltale signs of your surgery—namely, scars. Both you and your surgeon want you to have the most minimal scarring possible. There are many possible causes for scars that are enlarged or not healing well. Unsightly scars are most commonly due to genetics, underlying medical conditions, or improper scar/wound care. The last part is very important and patients can make a noticeable difference in their scars’ appearance by following best scar management practices. Here are some simple tips to make scars better - see link

Plastic surgery scars require attention after surgery so that they remain cosmetically-appealing and barely noticeable. In our office, we use a protocol for scars that minimizes their activity in the 6-8 weeks after surgery. If you have late plastic surgery scars, you may also require laser and RF therapy to help reduce the longterm effects of the scarring. Keloids, hypertrophic scars, widened scars, red scars, and hyperpigmented scars all require scar modulation with topical creams followed by lasers and RF therapy. Topical skincare should be directed to a specific need, whether for pigmentation or hypertrophy and our office can guide you through the process to obtain the correct Plato’s Scar cream or Melarase cream for hypertrophy and discoloration. In terms of lasers, we would employ the vbeam laser for redness, Venus Viva RF, PRP microneedling, chemical peels, and Morpheus 8, fractional erbium, or fractional co2. All of these have their individual benefits. Most of all, we recommend you visit a solid plastic surgeon who understands surgical scar revision, laser therapy, and RF therapy for scars.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Hello! Thank you for your question. It is common for scars to fully mature for up to a year. In the meantime, there are a few things that may help to ameliorate your incision/scar. The most proven (as well as cheapest) modality is simple scar massage. Applying pressure and massaging the well-healed scar has been shown to improve the appearance as it breaks up the scar tissue, hopefully producing the finest scar as possible. Other things that have been shown to add some benefit are silicone sheets, hydration, and topical steroids. In addition, avoidance of direct sunlight to the incision will significantly help the appearance as they tend to discolor with UV light during the healing process.  These incisions will get better over time, however, it appears that your areolar have stretched and widened, which may require revision if you desire. If unsightly scars are still present after approximately a year's time, other things that your surgeon may consider are intralesional steroid injections, laser, or just surgical revision of the scar itself. Hope that this helps! Best wishes for a wonderful result!

I would wait for surgical revision at least a year. A bit of fraxel laser or similar laser may be done now to try to improve the look. Good Luck!

It seems like your scars are a bit wide which will not improve.  They will fade more in the first 1 to 2 years which will help a bit.  Wide scars are usually from too much tension and very thin skin.  A scar revision may be in order but I would wait one year after the original surgery.

Your breastlift was performed 4 months ago. Scars take a full year to mature, so your scars still may improve. If silicone sheets not helping, there are other scar treatments that may be recommended. We use Biocorneum. I would allow more time, but would recommend you do something to manipulate the scar outcome as that will help optimize the scar.Best of luck!

Thank you for your question. Your scars will continue to lighten over time, but, unfortunately, they will not get thinner.  You will need a scar revision to make the scars thinner. I typically advise patients to wait a full year to consider a revision.

Hello! I can understand your anxiety as the scars are looking red and angry at this stage. However, 4 months is way too early in the healing process. Typically it takes 1-2 years for a scar to mature i.e. soften, change color. It would therefore be ideal to consider any scar revision or surgical intervention after a year. In the meantime, you could consult your PS regarding scar modulation protocols and follow them. All the best!

Wide breast lift scars can sometimes be revised, but I would give it 6 months to a year to settle down. The scar may lighten more with time.

Scars do improve over time, meaning that the redness will improve.  The width of the scar, however, does not improve.  The areola scar is getting wider because the elasticity of the breast skin is stronger than the elasticity of the areola - the breast skin is winning a "tug of war."  Treatment will likely involve scar revision with the sue of a permanent suture.