Can I Get a Mastopexy Without Scars?
Noticeable scarring following mastopexy (breast lift surgery) is a concern expressed by many patients considering this procedure. Unfortunately, some degree of postoperative scarring is unavoidable, as incisions are necessary to remove excess skin and reshape the breasts for a firmer, more youthful appearance. These scars generally appear red in their earliest stages of formation, but as they mature – which typically takes anywhere between eight to twelve months – they will begin to fade and more closely match the color of normal skin, making them much harder to detect.
Most board-certified plastic surgeons make every effort to employ the least invasive incisional approach based on the patient’s unique needs, ultimately helping to ensure any potential breast lift scarring is as inconspicuous as possible. There are many incisional approaches for lifting the breasts, including the standard mastopexy (or inverted “T”), crescent, and flip-flop (tissue rearrangement) techniques. For the majority of mastopexy patients at my practice, I employ an incision that circles the outer perimeter of the nipple-areolar complex and extends down the breast to the inframammary crease. Since extra skin is removed to tighten the breast tissues, some scarring is inevitable, but it will be made as short as it possibly can while still achieving the best shape to the breasts.
In addition to this meticulous approach, a number of postoperative techniques can be used to help ensure the incisions heal well and final scarring is minimized. We employ a scar care treatment regimen that can be utilized with paint-on silicone sheeting (bioCorneum®), and certain laser treatments can also be performed to decrease redness. Both of these techniques help minimize scarring and speed the overall time that the scar appears red.
In the end, the visibility of breast lift scars will vary by individual, but any scarring that does form will tend to fade over time and can generally be hidden easily under clothing, including most bikini and bathing suit varieties.
