Let’s get one fact straight: Breast reduction scars are inevitable. Since a breast reduction involves incisions, you can expect breast reduction surgery scars to develop as you heal.
However, it doesn’t mean that you’ll be stuck with significant scarring all your life. As long as you choose a reputable, experienced, and board-certified plastic surgeon whom you can trust, you can rest easy knowing that your breast reduction surgery scars will be as inconspicuous as possible.
Breast Reduction Scar Techniques
Shorter-Scar Technique
Also known as lollipop or vertical incision reduction, the shorter-scar technique is best for women who need a minimal to moderate reduction in breast size.
As a result, you’ll get lollipop scars on breast reduction, which consists of small incisions – one around the areola and another from the bottom of the areola towards the breast crease.
Lollipop scars on breast reduction are mostly confined to the lower half of your breasts, below your nipples. They can be easily covered with swimsuits.
Larger-Scar Technique
If you need a significant breast reduction, then your plastic surgeon will use a larger-scar technique of anchor breast reduction.
It involves an incision between the areola and the underlying breast crease, another incision around the areola, and a horizontal incision along the breast crease.
Despite having an additional incision, the scars can still be hidden beneath underwear and swimsuits.
Is It Possible to Get Breast Reduction Without Scars?
You’ve probably heard of women saying they got a breast reduction with no scars, but in reality, they only underwent breast liposuction.
In this technique, your plastic surgeon creates a small incision–usually measuring ¼ inch–and inserts a narrow cannula into the breasts. The cannula loosens and suctions excess fat but leaves glandular tissue intact. Its effects are not as pronounced as traditional breast reduction.
While a breast reduction without scars is not really scarless, it does produce minimal scars and requires only a short recovery time as it uses local anesthesia.
Breast Reduction Scars Gone Wrong
At first, your breast reduction scars will appear pinkish or reddish, but they will darken and flatten as they heal. Though the scars are permanent, they will start to fade over time until they become inconspicuous.
But sometimes, the scars don’t heal as they should, resulting in keloid or hypertrophic scars.
Keloid Scars
Keloid scars in breast reduction grow beyond the boundaries of your original incision site. It has a lumpy appearance, often reddish or brownish in color. It can be sensitive and tender to touch and may also be itchy and irritated. If left untreated, keloid scars can continue to thicken and grow indefinitely.
Hispanics and African Americans are prone to keloid scar formation due to their darker skin pigmentation.
Hypertrophic Scars
Like keloid scars, breast reduction hypertrophic scars also appear raised, but often less than 4 mm above the skin. However, it does not grow beyond the boundaries of the incision.
Children and people with fair complexion are more prone to developing hypertrophic scars.
Make sure that you consult your board-certified plastic surgeon to get treated for keloid or hypertrophic scars right away.
Getting a Breast Reduction Scar Tattoo
Not happy with your breast reduction surgery scars? Good news: You can tattoo over it!
Before signing up for a breast reduction scar tattoo, make sure that you consider the sensitivity of the scarred skin, the age of the scar, and how you’re planning to integrate the scar into the final design of your tattoo.
That’s why it’s important to speak with a tattoo artist experienced in breast reduction surgery scars so that you can be sure that the tattoo won’t aggravate the appearance of your scars.
You may also Schedule a Free Consultation with one of our double board-certified plastic surgeons to learn more about breast reduction scars.
