Will Breast Implant Scar Revision Make My Scars Look Better?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I exchanged my saline implants for silicone about 3 years ago and my new scars never healed as nicely as my original (invisible) scars. Immediately after replacement surgery I could tell these were wider, longer and more irritated looking than my originals (particularly my left). I have had a few different Fraxel and V-beam treatments to see if that would make me happier but I wasn’t too impressed. While these are not horrific scars, I am definitely self conscious of them compared to my originals..Do you think it would be possible to improve these scars with a revision, ultimately aiming for thin, non-pigmented scars like my originals? Thanks!

A: Breast implant scar revision usually produces a better result than any type of more superficial treatments like laser or light treatments. The only improvement that can come for your breast implant scars would be through this type of scar revision. This means actually cutting out the existing inframammary scars and re-creating new scar lines. I believe this will provide an improvement in their appearance but whether they will every return to what the scars initially looked like can not be guaranteed. It is difficult to ever go back to the scar result that occurred from cutting into new unscarred skin.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana