Are you one of those women who pay a lot of attention to the size and appearance of your breasts? It is true that having firmer and perkier boobs makes you more appealing and increases your self-esteem.
Breast augmentation in Singapore is an operation that can help you achieve a nice, well-shaped bust and a harmonious body. However, just like any invasive procedure, there is one major concern relating to this kind of plastic surgery: post-surgical scarring.
Unfortunately, there is an unavoidable risk of scarring following every surgery, whether it is cosmetic or medical. The good news is that there are some ways to minimise your breast augmentation scars and even make them virtually invisible. The following information will explain how you can reduce the appearance of your scars after breast surgery and which scar removal treatments are most widely used.
Applying silicone-based topical products such as creams and gels is one of the best and most effective treatments for breast surgery scars. Additionally, using bio-oil or Vitamin E oil may lighten and make your scars less visible. Post-surgical scarring may also be treated with laser therapy.
Although your breast augmentation scars will fade and get less noticeable over time, the treatments we will list below can help you hasting the process and get a better final appearance.
In most cases, plastic surgeons recommend that patients use silicone-based scar cream or gel after their cosmetic surgery. These products are considered highly effective in reducing scars. This is because silicone helps limit the overgrowth of collagen fibres, which can cause skin texture problems.
The substance has the ability to form a protective barrier on the skin that prevents moisture from escaping. Healing skin normally has trouble retaining moisture. Due to that, the body produces more collagen in the treated area, leading to scars. Silicone helps prevent this process by keeping the scar tissue well hydrated.
You can start using silicone products about two to three weeks after your surgical procedure.
Vitamin E has powerful antioxidant properties that help protect against free radical damage. That is why Vitamin E creams and oils are often recommended for reducing the appearance of scars. Vitamin E is useful for both existing scars as well as newly formed ones.
You can start using Vitamin E oil about six weeks after your operation when your incisions are fully healed. Make sure to gently massage the scar tissue twice a day with circular motions. This will help you lessen the excess collagen at the incision site and reduce scarring.
The use of lasers to treat breast implant scars is an option when topical products do not provide the desired results. However, you need to keep in mind that individual results might vary greatly since every patient is different.
Laser devices help attack the redness and break down some of the collagen in the scar. The treatment prevents the enlargement of scars and the formation of hypertrophic or keloid scarring.
Lasers come in various kinds, and which one is appropriate for you typically depends on the type, the colour, and the thickness of your scarring, as well as your skin type. You can start treating your scars with a pulsed dye laser one or two months after breast implant surgery to reduce redness.
It is always best to consult a specialist who will assess your scarring and recommend the best laser device.
Here are some tips that will help you reduce scars after breast surgery, hasten the healing process and achieve satisfactory outcomes.
This is probably one of the most important things you need to do. Your plastic surgeon will provide you with special post-operative instructions. Following them precisely will help you ease your recovery, minimise scarring and get the best possible results.
Your surgeon will give you exact instructions on how to look after your breast surgery scars to prevent infection and avoid poor healing. He/ she will tell you when you can start showering and washing the incisions, when you can start exercising, and other important information related to your cosmetic surgery.
However, you need to understand that everybody is different with respect to their scars, and the surgeon's advice that you get will differ according to your particular situation.
Wearing a support bra during your healing process is of utmost importance. It will help you deal with swelling as it puts pressure on your breasts. It gives you support and slowly squeezes the fluid out of the breast region, so the swelling goes down. The support bra will also prevent you from poor scarring and implant displacement.
During the first few months after your plastic surgery, your breast implants will constantly put pressure on your incisions. So If you don't wear your support bra, your incisions are more likely to heal poorly, which ultimately may result in a quite thick hypertrophic scar.
It is extremely important to care for your incisions according to your surgeon's instructions. You should not expose them to direct sunlight (and solarium) since the UV rays may cause irritations and poor scar healing.
It is best to avoid spending time on the beach for at least 3 months following your breast surgery. You can get sunbaths once you fully recover. However, keep in mind that it is mandatory to use high SPF.
It is extremely important to restrain from strenuous exercises and heavy lifting for the first one or two months after your plastic surgery.
Applying tension to your fresh incisions will prevent them from healing properly. This, in turn, will significantly increase the risk of ending up with large and visible scars.
The scar is usually not as strong as the other tissues because it is like a fracture in the skin. So if you put stress and tension on your newly formed scars, your breast tissue can stretch and create a wider scar.
If you give your body the correct vitamins, proteins, and nutrients, it will be able to generate new tissue and recover faster.
The same is true for water consumption. Maintaining hydration enhances skin suppleness and speeds up the healing process. When the skin is dehydrated, the wound does not receive enough oxygen and nutrients to heal.
Make sure you eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and boost your diet of lean protein and other protein-rich foods. Also, try to increase your intake of zinc-rich foods because they aid wound healing and the formation of new cells.
Where your breast implant scars will be situated depends on the location of your incisions or, in other words, what insertion technique is used. There are basically four methods for accessing the inside of the breast pocket.
The inframammary fold or breast crease is the most common location for opening the breast to place an implant. When the fold scar is planned correctly, the line can be located exactly where the breast skin meets the chest wall. It is usually a well-hidden scar.
A periareolar approach is where the surgeon makes a small incision at the lower half of the areola, along with the nipple. This is typically a very privileged area that heals very well. In addition, the scar is difficult to see. This approach is commonly preferred by patients who want a less visible scar without having an incision on the fold along with the breast.
In the transaxillary approach, plastic surgeons insert breast implants by making incisions in the armpit. There are no scars left on the breasts with this technique. However, the method is not commonly used due to the increased risk of complications.
The transumbilical technique involves an opening in the umbilicus (the belly button) to place the breast implant. It does not leave visible scars in the breast area. However, this implant placing method is rarely used because it is more likely to lead to side effects and unsatisfactory outcomes.
Breast implant scars typically vary depending on your age, genes, skin tone and other factors. In general, the darker your skin, the worse the scarring.
Your breast surgery scar will go through different phases of healing. The wound heals very well initially, and the body builds up scar tissue, so your scar will turn a bit red. After a while, it will transform from red into purple and then pale. Most patients have a pale and flat scar after a year. As time passes, it will also become less noticeable.
Dr. Shenthilkumar Naidu (Dr. Shens) is a Ministry of Health accredited Consultatn Plastic Surgeon with extensive expertise in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. He is renowned for his advanced techniques in body contouring and aesthetic enhancements. For more information, visit Shens Clinic.
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