Breast Reduction Laser Scar Removal
If you are looking for a way to get rid of scars on breasts, you should know that the best option is a scar treatment after breast surgery. Scar removal creams and getting new implants won’t help, unless you use laser scar removal. This article will discuss the right way to remove scars on breasts, as well as what are the differences between various lasers used for this purpose.
In this guide, we review the aspects of Breast Reduction Laser Scar Removal, how to get rid of scars on breasts, best scar treatment after breast surgery, and how long does it take for scars to fade after breast reduction.
Breast Reduction Laser Scar Removal
Breast reduction surgery, also known as reduction mammoplasty, is the second most popular cosmetic procedure for women. It’s a safe and effective way to reduce the size of overly large breasts and improve your self-esteem. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about breast reduction surgery, including costs and risks.
Most women opt for a breast reduction at some point in their lives.
You are not alone in deciding to undergo breast reduction surgery. The procedure is one of the most common cosmetic procedures for women, and it’s performed on women who have large breasts. Breast reduction can improve your posture, relieve back pain, neck and shoulder tension by redistributing the weight from your bosom onto your chest wall and shoulders.
Your surgeon will recommend a breast reduction if you have large breasts (which he defines as DDD+ cup size) that cause you physical pain or discomfort due to their weight; if they sag; if they prevent you from performing certain everyday tasks like lifting weights or throwing javelins at sporting events; or if they just look awkward when you wear clothing with low necklines (in other words: all the time).
Your surgeon may suggest combining other surgeries with breast reduction surgery to get even better results (for example, liposuction); however, this depends largely on how much fat needs to be removed during the procedure in order to achieve optimum results—so talk about what kind of results are important for YOU!
Breast Reduction Surgeons want their patients to come to them with realistic expectations.
When you’re considering a breast reduction, it’s important that you do your research and find an experienced surgeon. But it’s also important to keep in mind that breast reduction surgery is not a magic bullet. It can help with physical symptoms such as back pain or arthritis, but it won’t cure those conditions. Similarly, there are plenty of psychological benefits to be gained from having smaller breasts than before — especially if they once caused emotional distress — but breast reduction surgery isn’t going to fix all your self-esteem issues either!
Most Plastic Surgery Procedures are done in an outpatient setting. There, the surgeon will review your information and perform the procedure on an examination table.
Most plastic surgery procedures are done in an outpatient setting. There, the surgeon will review your information and perform the procedure on an examination table.
Your doctor will give you anesthesia to help you relax during surgery. The duration of this type of procedure depends on its type and whether a skin graft is needed to repair your scarring.
When he or she has finished suturing you up, he or she will bandage your wound with gauze dressing changes twice daily until it heals completely (about two weeks).
Potential complications include bleeding, infection, and excessive scar tissue formation.
The risks of breast reduction laser scar removal include bleeding and infection. These complications can be managed by your doctor if they occur, but it’s important to be aware of them so you can take precautions to prevent them. In addition, excessive scar tissue formation may occur after the procedure. Scar tissue forms when the body starts over-reacting to an injury or wound (usually because it’s trying to protect itself). This causes a thickening of the surrounding skin where surgery was performed. If this occurs on your chest area and creates a large lump on top of your breasts, this could be seen as unattractive by others or cause pain in that area later on down the road.
Breast Reduction Procedures can have a rejuvenating effect on a woman’s self-esteem and appearance.
You may be wondering: What are the benefits of breast reduction surgery?
If you are a woman with large breasts, it can be difficult to exercise and participate in other activities that you enjoy. As large breasts sag, they often cause back pain and posture problems. A woman’s self-esteem can also suffer from having large breasts because they tend to draw unwanted attention from others. This is especially true for women who suffer from body image issues or low self-confidence.
Breast reduction surgery may not completely eliminate these problems, but it can improve your appearance and your ability to exercise safely without causing further damage to your health. It will also make it easier for you to wear clothes that fit better on your body type while improving the way other people perceive you as well!
Breast reduction surgery is a safe, relatively painless procedure with numerous rewards.
Breast reduction surgery is a safe, relatively painless procedure with numerous rewards. Breast reduction can help women feel more confident about their appearance and more comfortable in their clothing. Additionally, breast reduction can reduce the discomfort that occurs from large breasts pulling down on shoulders and back muscles.
Breast reduction surgery involves removing excess fat, skin and glandular tissue from the breasts to make them smaller in size while maintaining their fullness. A scar will form along each side of your sternum (breastbone) where incisions were made during your operation; however, these scars may fade over time as you heal completely from your procedure.
how to get rid of scars on breasts
Breast reduction is surgery to remove excess tissue and skin to reduce and reshape breasts. The number, size, and location of incisions from breast reduction depends on the type of surgery performed. As incisions heal, scars normally appear red and bumpy for several weeks. Scars should fade and flatten over time. With the proper care and these breast reduction scar treatments, you can minimize the appearance of scars from breast reduction surgery by following your doctor’s care recommendations. Learn more about how scars form and other breast reduction scar treatment tips.
What Causes a Scar
Scars result from the natural healing process of an accidental or surgical wound. The wound causes a protein called collagen to build up near the damaged tissue, which helps to heal and strengthen the wound. Over time, the buildup of collagen breaks down, and the scar flattens out. Some scars may be more noticeable than others. Some factors that contribute to the appearance of scars include:
While you can’t change many of these contributing factors, there are things you can do to minimize the appearance of scars on your breasts after reduction surgery.
Take Care of the Surgical Site
Poor wound healing contributes to the appearance of scars, and it’s no different for breast reduction scars. Always follow your doctor’s advice on the proper way to care for your breasts and incisions as you heal from surgery. Complications, such as infection, can lead to poor healing and may cause the incision to re-open, which can increase the appearance of the scar as it heals. Some tips to decrease your chance of infection include:
Try Silicone Cream and Massage
Silicone has been shown to be an effective breast reduction scar treatment. Rub a silicone oil-based cream over the healed scar 3 or 4 times a day and massage for 5 to 10 minutes. Or you can put silicone gel sheets over the scar, applied every two hours. This treatment can help reduce hypertrophic scars and keloid scars, which are both discolored, raised scars.
After your incisions have healed, you can massage the scar. While this method won’t affect the color, it can help soften and flatten the scar. Using a moisturizing lotion or silicone cream, apply firm pressure using your fingertips to massage in circular, vertical and horizontal directions. Do this for about 10 minutes several times a day for 6 months or longer to promote the breakdown of collagen.
Be Patient, Find Acceptance
While scarring is inevitable, many women are very satisfied with the results of their breast reduction. Give yourself time and patience as you care for your incisions and your body after surgery. After 6 months, breast reduction scars typically begin to fade and flatten, and are less noticeable than they were shortly after surgery. Scars will continue to lighten over the next year or two. In most cases, visible scarring can be hidden by a bra and bathing suit.
best scar treatment after breast surgery
Scars are a natural part of the body’s healing process but they can cause irritation and some find them unsightly, as Clinical Nurse Specialist Rachel Rawson (pictured) explains. She also talks about caring for scars after breast cancer surgery.
People often call our Helpline asking how to look after their scars following breast cancer surgery.
They are concerned for various reasons. For example, their scars may feel tight and be causing pain and itching. Sometimes people are unhappy about how their scars look.
What are scars and how are they formed?
Scars are a natural part of the body’s healing process. All breast surgery will leave some scarring but it’ll be different for each person.
After breast cancer surgery, wound healing is helped by the formation of new collagen for around three months. The blood supply to the area increases, causing the scar to become raised, lumpy and red.
Then, as some of the collagen at the wound site starts to break down and the blood supply reduces, the scar gradually becomes smoother, softer and paler. This takes many months.
In some cases the body can produce too much collagen causing scars that are more raised than usual. Such scars are called hypertrophic and can take several years to settle.
A keloid scar is similar to a hypertrophic scar but it continues to grow, increasing in height and spreading over normal tissue even after it has healed. The scar may be painful, tender and itchy.
Both of these kinds of scars are more common in younger and dark-skinned people.
Are there treatments for scars?
There isn’t a treatment that can remove scars, but there are some things that may help reduce them or improve their feel and appearance. Again, the success of a treatment will depend on your individual case.
Your surgeon will have ideas about the best treatment for you.
Your hospital team or breast care nurse will be able to discuss your concerns and expectations, and suggest what treatments might be used to improve your scars. Some treatments are listed below.
Care tips
Callers often ask what type of cream they should use to moisturise the scar area. Any emollient cream or oil is suitable.
The type you use will not have a direct effect on your scar but massaging moisturiser into the scar will keep it from becoming dry and helps to make it supple.
Scars, especially new ones, are sun sensitive. Use sunscreen for protection.
Tight clothing can irritate or injure scar tissue.
Continuing with your post operative exercises is really beneficial for your arm and shoulder movement but take care during stretching because skin that has already been damaged is extremely sensitive.
how long does it take for scars to fade after breast reduction
However, having scars can make some women feel self-conscious. When you look in the mirror, you may be focusing on your scars rather than how great you look or how much better your back feels. Fortunately, there are things you can do that will help you to reduce the appearance of scars after undergoing your procedure.
Treatment Methods for Scars After Breast Reduction Procedures
In addition to the scar treatment methods that we will touch on below, you will want to speak with your doctor. They will likely have some tips and techniques that they can provide to help with reducing the appearance of scars after breast reduction, as well as recovery methods for you to use after the procedure.
Surgical Tape
Once you are out of surgery, most doctors will apply and recommend that you use surgical tape for a couple of weeks. The surgical tape helps to keep the skin closed, and it will help to reduce the appearance of scars. This is not to say that all you will need is surgical tape, of course. However, it is the first thing that many doctors will recommend when you are healing. When it comes to post-procedure healing, always listen to the recommendations of your doctor.
Try Silicone Sheets to Help Reduce Scarring
After your breast reduction procedure, you may want to start using silicone sheets that you will place over the incision area. These sheets are breathable, easy to use, and can help with scars by ensuring they are kept hydrated and soft. The silicone sheets can offer some other benefits, as well. They are a good solution to help prevent bacterial infection, itching, and irritation.
Typically, you will want to use these for several months after surgery, beginning at about four weeks post-procedure. If you choose to use silicone sheets, be sure to buy quality products to get the best results.
Use Scar Gels
Scar gels are another good option to consider. They can be used with either new or old scars to help reduce their appearance. Use of the gel could help the scars to fade, and in some cases, they may even get smaller. Typically, you will use the scar gels after the incision has healed. Keep in mind that you will need to commit to using the gel daily until you achieve the results you want. This can take several months.
Use the Right Dressings
Another suggestion you might want to consider using is Embrace dressings for your incisions. These are to be used after the incisions have closed and can be worn after surgery. These dressings are designed to help pull the skin together, which will help to increase the healing process.
These dressings include silicone and can be worn for up to a year after the surgery. As mentioned earlier, the silicone can help to provide hydration and flexibility to the scars while reducing their appearance. A study from 2015 found that after a year of use, there was noticeable scar reduction. Embrace dressings are costly compared with some of the other options on the list, but they are readily available over the counter.
Steri-Strips
After surgery, your doctor might also suggest that you use steri-strips. These strips are permeable, which means the medicine can go into the incisions to help with healing. They also help to keep the skin closed at the incision site. Generally, you will need to wear these strips for between two weeks and a month after you have come out of surgery.
Scar Massage
Once the scars have formed, you can perform scar massage on the scar tissue. To do this, you will simply use your fingertips to massage the scar. First, massage in a vertical motion, and then massage horizontally. You can then massage the scars in circles. Massaging the scars could help to increase the collagen in the area and make the scars more flexible.
Keep in mind that you will want to wait until about two weeks after your procedure before you begin using the scar massage procedures. Each massage session should last for about 10 minutes. Split the time up evenly between circles, vertical, and horizontal massage. You can massage your scars up to three times each day. Not only could this help to reduce the appearance of scars, but it can also help with your comfort level.
Fractionated Lasers
If you have scars that have healed and that are thick or dark, there are still options available that can help you reduce their appearance. This procedure uses microscopic lasers that can treat large areas of the skin, including scars. The nature of the lasers allows them to treat more than just the surface of the skin, as well. They can target the upper and middle layers of the skin.
Often, you will need to have treatments every other month with four or more treatments to reduce the appearance of the scars to a point where you are happy. Keep in mind that the lasers can only be used once the incisions have fully healed.
Wear a Supportive Bra
Wearing a high-quality, supportive bra is always important, but it is essential when you are healing from breast reduction surgery. Most doctors will tell you that you should be wearing a supportive, quality bra 24hrs a day for six weeks. From there, you can switch to another bra, but you should not use any that have underwire, as this can cause pain and sores.
When you have a supportive bra after your surgery, it can help with the healing process and assist in reducing the amount of scarring.
Steroid Injections
In those cases where the breast reduction scars are older and thick, steroid injections could help. The steroid will be injected into the scar tissue, where it can reduce redness, burning, and itching sensations. The injections can also help soften the scar tissue and reduce the size of the scar. This could be a good choice for those who may have had breast reduction surgery a few years ago and who now want to reduce their scars. Talk with a specialist about this option.
Scar Revision Surgery
If you find that the other methods discussed here are not helping to reduce the appearance of scars as much as you would like, there is still another option to consider. Scar revision surgery could help to reduce the severity of your scars. Just keep in mind that as with dermabrasion, chemical peels, and other techniques on the list, you will need to wait until you are fully healed. Doctors will want to wait at least one year—and possibly two years—before performing scar revision surgery.
Sunscreen
UV rays can cause scars to darken. While you may not have your breasts exposed to the sunlight often—or ever—you will always want to be careful. This is especially true if there is even a chance that the scars could be exposed to the sun based on the shirt or bikini you might be wearing. Using a high-quality sunscreen can help to prevent your scars from darkening and becoming more noticeable.
Remember, It Takes Time
Scars will not entirely vanish overnight or with just one or two sessions of treatment. You need to be consistent and patient. Eventually, you will begin to see results. If you are still unhappy with the results, you will want to speak with a cosmetic surgery specialist in your area to figure out your next best steps.
Find a Specialist to Help Treat Breast Reduction Scars in Your Area
Professionals, such as Dr. Hopkins and the staff at J. Hopkins Plastic Surgery, understand the need for help and advice when dealing with these types of scars. As you have seen from the information provided above, treating your breast reduction scars after your procedure is possible, and it is easiest when you have the help of a specialist.
Always make it a point to look for specialists located in your area to find the help you need for breast reduction surgery, help with scars, and more.