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BREAST REDUCTION SCARRING

Posted On: October 22, 2009 Author: The Office of Dr. Stuart Linder Posted In: Breast Reduction

BREAST REDUCTION SCARRING

15451_linderBreast reduction surgery when performed correctly will lead to an excellent result.  It will reduce the size of the weight, reduce functional problems, including back pain, neck strain, grooving around the shoulder blades, etc.  The tradeoff for a breast reduction is scarring.  Scarring can be unpredictable, although there are techniques that may help to improve the final result.  Techniques are as follows:

1. Make sure you go to a Board Certified Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, a Diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery who is trained and qualified to do breast reduction surgery.

2. Closure of the incision should be performed subcuticular whenever possible in order to reduce external scarring.  In other words, stitches should be placed underneath the skin as much as possible to reduce stitch marks.

3. The correct approach.  A predictable and safe approach to large breast reductions, at least according to Dr. Linder, is using the Wise-pattern or anchor scar technique where an incision is made around the areolar vertically along the midline of the breast and along the inframammary fold.  This allows for correction along the vertical plane as well as along the inframammary fold and the horizontal plane and reducing tissue from both planes which will then allow for a round, nice shape to the breast.

4. Medicare State Licensed Ambulatory Center and a Board Certified Anesthesiologist for the safety of the patient.  This is a must in that a Board Certified Anesthesiologist will be able to take care of the patient’s airway and correct any problems in the operating room that may occur.  There is no substitute for a Board Certified Anesthesiologist.

5. Postoperative care for the suture lines should include scar treatment which Dr. Linder uses Kelo-Cote silicone gel spray in order to reduce scarring for a three-month period, twice a day, once all sutures are removed.