As with most surgeries, a breast lift requires an incision in the skin of the breast. When you have an incision, the body adds new tissue to the area in order to heal the wound. While this is very efficient, it also puts you at risk for scarring after a breast lift. However, there are things you can do to help minimize your scarring and keep your breasts looking beautiful. But what will breast lift scars after one year look like? It all depends on the type of breast lift you have and how you take care of your breasts during recovery.
Scar Location Depends on the Type of Breast Lift
Scars from a breast lift will appear as a raised, red line after post-op, but then flatten and become less noticeable over time. The location of your scars will depend on what type of breast lift you receive, as each option utilizes different surgical incisions. The four breast lift incision types include:
- Crescent Lift – This option involves a small incision that follows the upper half of the areola.
- Donut Lift – This option involves an incision that completely circles the areola.
- Lollipop Lift – Also known as the vertical lift, this procedure involves a circular incision around the areola and another incision that runs from the areola straight down to where the breast meets the chest wall.
- Anchor Lift – This option involves the most scarring but is perhaps the most common breast lift In addition to the circular incision around the areola and a vertical line down the breast, this lift includes an additional incision that extends horizontally underneath the breast.
Minimizing Your Breast Lift Scars
Scars from your breast lift are likely to look their worst at 2 to 3 months post-surgery but should fade to a pale purple by the one-year mark. In order to help minimize your scarring, there are some tips to follow during your recovery. These include:
- Wear support garments as directed by your surgeon.
- Apply silicone treatments or creams as directed by your surgeon.
- Gentle massage, after the scabbing is complete, can help distribute collagen, helping to soften and flatten the scar.
- Eating healthy helps promote tissue healing.
- Avoid alcohol and smoking as these can hinder the natural healing process, affecting the appearance of your scars.
While completely avoiding scars is impossible with any surgical procedure, the scars created by a breast lift should be minimal and following aftercare instructions can help further minimize their appearance. At Kobienia Plastic Surgery, Dr. Brian Kobienia works with you to help achieve your breast lift goals. To learn more about how a breast lift can give you the body contours you desire, contact us online or call the office at (612) 930-1111 to schedule a consultation.
