Embrace Scar Therapy- breast lift w/ fat transfer anchor incision

I am writing a review of my embrace scar therapy for an anchor breast lift and fat transfer. I started with the embrace scar therapy about 22 days after surgery. My incisions were taped for 16 days and everything was going well with the lift. After the surgeon removed the tapes, and some of the skin sutures, I was left with a beautifully healing suture line, small scabs present. 

I started using the Biocorneum scar cream and about 7 days after the tapes were removed by the PS, I was scab free. I did not enjoy the feeling of tension on my incision, which I noticed after the surgical tape was removed. Embrace Scar therapy definitely removed that feeling of tension and the incisions feel much better.... but itchy. I applied my first set of embrace strips at night. I showered and rubbed the incision area with a soap wash cloth to gently exfoliate the skin. I dried off and then wiped the incision area with alcohol wipes and awkwardly applied the large silicone strip to the underboob incision and then applied the medium strip to the vertical incision (nothing at the nipple). I learned ALOT from that first application.

1. Wipe a HUGE area of skin around the scar with the alcohol wipes, the embrace strips are really thick/wide and I didn't wipe enough surrounding skin. The alcohol removes oils from the skin, which helps the embrace adhere to the skin.

2. I should have cut the medium embrace strip before applying it to the vertical incision. The excess length was really irritating, and I was able to cut the bottom shorter after a few day. Save yourself some irritation and maybe use the small left over strip for liposuction scars.

3. Apply tegaderm over ALL edges of the embrace strip. This helps keep the edges from lifting and seals the edges. The tegaderm is LIFESAVING- do not skip this step. It is easier to replace and trim the tegaderm than deal with lifting edges. The areas where you don't place tegaderm is where moisture can seep in.

4. Showering is you enemy... seriously. The more you shower the faster those strips are going to fall off. I would recommend showering every other day, or find a way to keep the embrace strips dry. 

Overall I really do not enjoy the embrace therapy strips... but they seem to be working. Surgery recovery is like a marathon.... once one part of the recovery is better you level up to a new painful/irritating/uncomfortable thing to deal with. I'll post pictures tomorrow once I am able to take pictures with good lighting. I'm sure I'll think of some more advice when I post again.

I wanted to update about some thoughts I have on Embrace Scar Therapy. For me Embrace is VERY itchy.... I think its a function of skin tension... not the adhesive. I do no have sensitive skin and in general my skin doesn't care about adhesives. The Embrace Scar Therapy reminds of me wearing BRAVA for my fat transfer several years ago... you have to condition the skin and "toughen" it up.... but also prevent tearing and skin break down. Last night I was SO irritable with the Embrace strips I couldn't sleep. I ended up taking 2 benadryl and half a xanax (finally) to sleep. I got my period and I think is made my skin super sensitive and I was freaking out about the Embrace Scar therapy- wearing a Faja 24 hours a day, sleeping ONLY on my back to protect the fat transfer to the breasts.... it was just to much for one night. I felt better today, but it is still itchy..... itchy hell. I still think its worth it.... but man I hate them.

I wanted to update the removal process and my first 10 days of Embrace Scar Therapy. So removing the Tegaderm and Embrace strips took about 10 minutes and I did it really slowly with adhesive remover. My skin was really red after removal. My scars looked pretty good but one thing I did notice was really deep impressions in my skin at the anchor T- junction. I think this is because I applied the under boob Embrace strip first and then when I placed the Embrace Strip on the vertical incision it over laps the horizontal incision. So where there is "double" strips maybe the tension was more? I don't really know. But next time I will NOT over lap the embrace strips. I am considering just placing the Embrace strips on the vertical incision and using scar away strips on the horizontal incision and around my nipples. I don't want to be miserable all the time and the horizontal strips make me miserable. You move and stretch at the torso and so you have to deal with lifting edges, a somewhat curved incision and straight tape.... its not a good combination. I am going to rest my skin 24 hours and reapply tomorrow afternoon. I'll post pictures before and after I apply a second set... so we can see how the skin impressions improve overnight and also see how happy my skin looks (or doesn't look) after I rest the skin.