Breast reduction (like any surgery) involves incisions. Many patients ask if breast reduction scarring will remain visible or what breast reduction scars will look like one year later. It is a common concern of our patients, and Dr. Angelina Postoev understands this and makes every effort to place the incisions in strategic locations where they are best hidden. It is her mission and the desire of the entire SurgiCare Arts team to ensure excellent results and impeccable aesthetic results.
What Types of Incisions Are Made during Breast Reduction Surgery?
Breast reduction surgery and breast lift surgery involve very similar incisions. Different doctors have their preferred techniques when creating incisions for breast reduction surgery. The most widely used incisions for breast reduction are the inverted-T or anchor incisions.
A consultation with your cosmetic surgeon should answer any questions and concerns you have regarding the incision technique that will be used during your breast reduction and what the resulting scar will look like.
Where Are Incisions Made During Breast Reduction Surgery?
The inverted-T also known as a T-anchor or anchor incision name defines the direction of the incision. The surgeon makes an incision that follows the outside perimeter of the areola, then goes down, and continues under the breast into the breast crease imitating the shape of an anchor.
This T-anchor technique is preferred, and the most often used, by Dr. Angelina Postoev during breast reduction and breast lift procedures performed at SurgiCare Arts & Aesthetics.
This type of incision ensures the best cosmetic result, produces minimal breast reduction scarring, and allows the surgeon to efficiently remove unwanted breast tissue. Of course, patients are all unique and the incision type may vary in each individual case.
How Much Time Does Breast Reduction Scarring Need to Disappear?
Breast reduction surgery scars, like the Inverted-T incision, are usually well hidden. The incision that runs around the nipple generally heals very well and the resulting scar is hidden by the natural color difference between the areola and the rest of the breast skin.
The scar that runs in the crease under the breast is also very well hidden by the breast tissue. The vertical portion of the Inverted-T incision that runs down from the nipple to the crease under the breast is usually the most visible.
If patients follow the surgeon’s recommendations regarding aftercare, the scarring will fade and become lighter over time. When comparing breast reduction scars after 1 week to ones after 6 months, they should appear significantly flatter and lighter and should continue to improve gradually for a full year.
Is It Possible to Make Breast Reduction Scarring Invisible?
Breast reduction scarring should be minimal if patients follow the surgeon’s post-operative instructions very closely. If after a year the scars after breast reduction surgery are a concern, there are ways to address them.
SurgiCare Arts & Aesthetics, can treat surgical scars and minimize their appearance using different advanced non-invasive cosmetic technologies like Morpheus8, Fractora, Microdermabrasion, and other procedures.
Is Recovery After Breast Reduction Difficult?
Each patient is different and will recover on their own timeline dependent on the extent of the surgery and other determining factors. It may take up to a full year before all the swelling from the procedure goes away and for the final results of the breast reduction procedure to be seen.
Breast reduction recovery is probably one of the easiest compared to other surgical procedures. There is normally a few days of soreness right after the surgery but most patients do not experience any severe pain.
In most cases, patients do not require narcotic pain medicine and their discomfort can be controlled by a variety of methods. Along with some soreness, patients might experience tingling, burning, or other mild discomforts, however, a weekend off with plenty of rest may be all that is needed.
Breast reduction patients are usually able to continue with their normal lives and return to non-labor intensive jobs in three to four days. The cosmetic surgeon will clear the patient to resume their full work schedule when they can safely do so.
The recovery from breast reduction surgery is usually not difficult, especially when compared to other cosmetic procedures such as a tummy tuck.
To learn more about breast reduction scarring and recovery, and what to expect in your individual case, schedule an in-person or a virtual appointment today.
