What to Expect for Mommy Makeover Scars
Posted April 05, 2021 in Mommy Makeover
One of the biggest concerns people have about plastic surgery is, what will the scars look like? For Mommy Makeover surgery, there is no quick answer to this because a Mommy Makeover may consist of different procedures, resulting in different scarring for each patient. Most of the time, a Mommy Makeover includes four procedures (a breast augmentation, breast lift, tummy tuck, and liposuction), and the resulting scars will be as described below.
Understanding Scar Formation
For major surgery, a surgeon must make incisions in the skin in order to make the desired enhancements to the body. This aspect of surgery means that there will be some unavoidable scarring afterward, and the surgical scar will take time to heal. Usually, the scar will appear thin and pink for the first few weeks, then gradually thicken and darken before eventually lightening and fading away. Younger scars are often dark red, firm, and sensitive to the touch, even for several months after the procedure. Nonetheless, by about six months after surgery the scar will typically begin to soften and fade away until it is hardly noticeable. For most patients, it can take one to two years for a surgical scar to mature and significantly improve in appearance.
The quality of the skin at the surgical site also affects scar formation. For instance, scars along the lower border of the areola (the dark area surrounding the nipples) usually heal beautifully after breast surgery and become virtually unnoticeable over time. However, scars on the lower breast (as from a breast lift) or lower abdomen (as from tummy tuck surgery) may remain more prominent due to skin tension and different healing in these areas. These incisions are carefully placed so that they may be hidden by most clothing.
Mommy Makeover Scar Locations
The scars after a Mommy Makeover will typically appear as follows:
- Breast Scars: Depending on the selected technique, there may be an incision scar along the breast crease (horizontal and hidden underneath the breast), blended with the border of the areola, extending vertically downward from the areola to the breast crease, or a combination of these.
- Abdominal Scars: Tummy tuck scars are horizontal and placed low between the hips near the pubic line. There may also be a scar surrounding the belly button, easily hidden along its edge, due to repositioning of the navel.
- Liposuction: Liposuction scars are minimal—only about a quarter of an inch long—and are hidden in inconspicuous areas or natural creases. These tiny scars will appear on each area of the body that received liposuction during the Mommy Makeover.
All Mommy Makeover incisions are placed in inconspicuous locations so that they may be hidden by most clothing, even while wearing a bikini. Most patients are ultimately very satisfied with the appearance of their Mommy Makeover scars.
Minimizing Mommy Makeover Scars
As your surgeon takes extra care to ensure that the surgical techniques result in the most optimal and inconspicuous scarring possible, there are also ways that you as the patient can minimize your Mommy Makeover scars. Lifestyle choices like minimizing sun exposure, wearing sunscreen, staying hydrated, eating a nutritious diet, and refraining from smoking during the months after your surgery will go a long way in minimizing scar formation.
Silicone gel sheeting, cortisone injections, and vitamin E or other creams can also assist with scar healing and improve the eventual appearance of your surgical scar(s). Inform your surgeon if you have a history of poor scarring or if you are concerned about how your scars are developing. If after many months a scar has not improved, a minor scar revision surgery can be performed to soften the appearance of your Mommy Makeover scars.
For more information about scars after Mommy Makeover surgery, or to learn more about this procedure in general, schedule your consultation with our board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Andres Taleisnik. Call (657) 294-8375 or complete our online contact form today.