Where Are Breast Implant and Breast Lift Scars?
When it comes to cosmetic plastic surgery, Breast Augmentation (Breast Implants) and Breast Lift surgery consistently rank as two of the most popular procedures. This is for good reason! Whether it is due to age, pregnancy or weight changes, our breasts lose their shape and volume over time. But where nature fails, a touch of plastic surgery can help.
You can love being a mother and want to recognize the breasts and body you see in your reflection in the mirror. Don’t guilt yourself into thinking you have to just accept all the bodily changes that happen almost overnight. I can relate to what you’re going through, mom to mom, as a female plastic surgeon who has breastfed two kids of her own.
Naturally, those of you considering breast surgery often ask: “Where are the Breast Implant and Breast Lift scars after surgery?” Women want to know how big and how visible surgery scars can get, and where they will be located. New techniques and modern surgery practices have made it possible to make the smallest of incisions that stay well hidden. While the final results will vary based on the surgery, patient, and plastic surgeon, let’s discuss the typical result when it comes to Breast Augmentation and Breast Lift scars.
Breast Lift and Breast Augmentation
Before we talk about scars, here’s a quick review on these two popular breast enhancement techniques. A Breast Lift restores your breasts to their original position by reshaping your own breast tissue. Some women have drooping that they describe as a tennis ball in a tube sock sort of feeling, and for others it is the flattening and sagging of once firm, perky breasts that now need a bra to hold them in place.
Breast Augmentation is different. When we place breast implants, I use silicone gummy bear implants or saline breast implants to enhance the volume and shape of your breasts. To fill your stretched out skin envelope with firm, perky breasts, I use implants to serve as the foundation, and then I reshape the breast on top. In that way, I often combine Breast Augmentation with Breast Lift to help you achieve the best results.
Breast Augmentation Scars
Breast Augmentation typically involves placement of implants, either above or below the muscle. In some cases, Breast Implant surgery involves an inframammary incision. This technique includes one or two small incisions in the bra line — natural crease or fold at the bottom of the breast where your underwire bra hits your chest. Alternatively, a periareolar incision can be used to place the breast implants through an incision around the areola.
During the consultation, as an experienced board-certified female plastic surgeon, I explain the pros and cons of the different options as it pertains to your specific needs. The resulting scarring from Breast Augmentation tends to be small and hidden while wearing a bra or bikini.
Breast Augmentation and Breast Lift Scars
Breast Augmentation and Breast Lift are often performed at the same time, as they offer complementary enhancements to the shape, volume and placement of the breasts. When combining these two breast surgeries, the most common techniques are a lollipop incision or an anchor incision.
A lollipop lift includes two incisions, the first from the bottom of the areola to the crease below the breast, and a second scar that goes all the way around the areola. An anchor lift addresses significantly sagging breasts with one incision between the crease and the areola, and a second incision around the areola edge. Again, Breast Implant and Breast Lift scars are difficult to spot at a glance.
On the other hand, if Breast Implants are not placed (e.g. in the case of just a Breast Lift or Breast Reduction), the scars might be even shorter in length.
How to minimize scars after breast surgery
Most Breast Implant scars are thin, red or pink, and slightly raised in the weeks following the surgery. Over time, they smoothen out and fade. Factors like your age, genetics, skin tone and daily exposure to the sun have an impact on how scars heal.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons offers guidance to help reduce scarring after plastic surgery:
- Avoiding smoking for several weeks before and after your procedure
- Staying out of the sun and wearing sunscreen
- Eating nutritious foods and drinking plenty of water during recovery
- Following your plastic surgeon’s physical activity guidelines after breast augmentation
- Taking vitamin E supplements or applying topical vitamin E to healed incisions
- Silicone sheeting
- Topical cortisone cream
I will go over these recommendations more in detail during your consultation and your recovery. Be sure to check out our post on 5 tips to help your breast lift results last longer!
If you have still have questions about Breast Augmentation and Breast Lift scars, nothing beats a personal consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon. Schedule yours today to address all your questions about Breast Augmentation, Breast Lift, Breast Reduction, Breast Revision and other breast surgery techniques of interest. Expected outcomes, recovery time and procedure cost are just a few of the topics we cover.
Only you can make this important decision, but with my all-female staff, I am here to guide you as you search for the best fit for you and most natural results.
