Breast Reconstruction Scars

Many women are candidates for incision via the inframmamary fold (the bra line). I had mine done this way and one can hardly tell that I had a mastectomy. This is often available for small and medium breasted women, less so for women with large breasts. Be sure to discuss this option with your doctor to see if you are a candidate. Many do not offer this option, so be sure that you determine if you are not a candidate or if your surgeon simply does not offer the procedure.

The amount of scarring depends on the technique the surgeon uses for the mastectomy. Generally, skin sparing mastectomies have less scars.

Scars are permanent but to improve their appearance we start a scar control program 3 weeks after surgery and continue it until the scars are flat, smooth and the right color.

The scars vary widely, and are determined by the incision used for your mastectomy, and the type of reconstruction you are having. Some incisions are very well hidden, such as in the inferior fold of the breast, while others need to be placed on the more visible areas of the breast, depending on where the cancer is and the comfort level of your breast surgeon with different approaches. Furthermore, implant reconstructions usually involve some type of a single line closure, whereas flap reconstructions sometimes involve more circular or elliptical shape inicisions, depending on the amount of skin removed by the breast surgeon. Your breast and plastic surgeons can probably tell you preoperatively what type of scar you will have, as they will know the specifics of your surgery.