Many women choose to have a breast augmentation, which requires an incision through which the surgeon places implants. Most plastic surgeons—including Houston’s Dr. Oren Paul Mushin—are skilled at hiding these incisions; however, sometimes, incisions must be made in visible areas.
Fortunately, after your surgery, Dr. Mushin gives you several steps to minimize the appearance of breast surgery scars and manage tissue growth. Whether you are considering breast augmentation or have questions about scar management, it’s never too late to do something about it. Call our clinic today to learn more about breast augmentation scar management in Houston.
How to Minimize Breast Surgery Scars
One of the most important things you can do to minimize scarring is to choose a reputable Houston clinic for your breast surgery.
Refraining from smoking at least four weeks before the procedure and for at least four weeks after surgery is crucial. Nicotine constricts the blood vessels, prolonging healing and increasing the risk of anesthesia or postoperative complications. Nicotine products include cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, e-cigarettes, nicotine patches, and nicotine gum.
Additionally, you must avoid exposing your scar tissue to the sun as that can lead to permanent discoloration, including topless sunbathing. During the weeks following surgery, remember to drink plenty of water and eat a nutritionally balanced whole-food diet to give your body the nutrients it needs to heal.
Finally, carefully follow the postoperative instructions for caring for your wound to reduce the chances of postoperative complications or infection, which can increase scar tissue formation.
What Should My Breast Augmentation Scars Look Like?
Directly after your surgery in Houston, your will be raised, swollen, and dark pink or red. Over time, the color subsides, and the tissue swelling flattens. How quickly the incision heals depends on your general health, age, and skin tone.
Predicting what breast augmentation scar tissue will look like in the coming years depends on the incision technique Dr. Mushin uses. It also depends on the type of surgery you undergo, your healing time, and your skin tone. The incision typically looks healed on the outside approximately 14 to 21 days after surgery. Still, complete healing in that area takes about one year before the tissue is as strong as the surrounding tissue. Over time, scars can get lighter and smoother, but they don’t completely disappear.
Treatment Options for Breast Augmentation Scars
After your incisions are fully healed, you can take several steps to help reduce the appearance of scar tissue. Speak with Dr. Mushin and our trained team in Houston about the strategies they recommend for healing scar tissue after a breast augmentation.
Topical vitamin E can help reduce inflammation in the area and may minimize the appearance of scar tissue. Research is inconclusive, but there are no adverse effects to the scar tissue or the surrounding tissue, and many report that it has helped.
Manual massage of the healed scar tissue can help soften or flatten the tissue, making it less noticeable. You may also choose to use silicone sheets, bandages, gel, or cream daily to reduce the thickness of scar tissue.
Hydrocortisone cream may help soften and shrink your scar tissue; however, you should not use this around an open wound or for long periods of time. ScarGuard is a popular treatment option that combines vitamin E, silicone, and cortisone into a single cream.
When your scar tissue causes you concern, you may opt for laser skin resurfacing or dermabrasion to improve the appearance of scar tissue; however, if you develop thick scar tissue after surgery, laser resurfacing or dermabrasion could make it worse, so speaking with our clinical team is crucial.
Call Our Clinic in Houston to Learn More About Breast Augmentation Scar Tissue
It can be disheartening to have visible scar tissue after breast augmentation surgery to restore a more youthful figure. By taking simple steps directly after surgery and after the incision has healed, you may be successful with your breast augmentation scar management in Houston.
Call our office today to schedule your consultation with our experienced team, led by Dr. Mushin. During your visit, we will answer your questions and develop a plan to help you address your cosmetic concerns.
