The seam fester after mammoplasty. Serious consequences of mammoplasty and methods for their effective solution. How long does stitch healing take?

There are three main types of access for implants: through the armpit, through the areola and through the crease under the breast. It must be said that these types of cuts are not limited to everything. If we correct the shape of the breast and reduce it, then additional incisions are made directly on the chest. The type of incision chosen for implant placement is by and large neither the choice of the patient nor the preference of the surgeon. Each type has its own indications.

Incision under the breast

If the breast hangs down and the lower crease under the breast is pronounced, then the surest way to access is to make an incision under the breast. If there is no such fold under the breast, it is small or high, “girlish”, but the size of the areola is at least 3-3.5 centimeters, implants can be placed, gaining access through the areola. A large areola, by the way, is an indication to go through it.

Axillary access

Axillary access is indicated for petite girls with a small areola and small breasts. Some time ago, axillary access was at the peak of popularity. Everyone wanted him, highlighting the fact that there would be no scarring on the chest as an advantage. In my opinion, scars in the armpits can hardly be called invisible. Indeed, in T-shirts and open dresses, ladies go more often than topless.

The axillary access is highly respected by many of my colleagues. But we must understand that such an operation is done “at a distance”. We form a subcutaneous tunnel and, guided by the camera, perform manipulations with special instruments. In the case of access through the areola or the crease under the breast, there is a chance to correct something with your hands, to make sure that everything is even and symmetrical. I can not say that it is impossible to correct the position of the implant with axillary access, but the risks increase. Hands in this sense are more reliable.

In general, this whole story with sutures becomes more and more unconvincing every year: modern suture materials are already of such quality that sometimes, a month after the operation, I am already looking for scars, straining my eyesight and memory. Operations with access through the armpits are very popular in China, Korea. These are features of the Asian phenotype: fragile, small, breastless girls. Often, the size of the areola does not allow them to put an implant, and there is a risk of excessive contouring, that is, a situation in which this implant will scream that it is it. Here, axillary access will allow you to install an implant under the pectoral muscle and smooth out the severity of the forms.

The release of serous fluid from the suture after mammoplasty is diagnosed in every tenth patient. Fluid accumulates in the space that remains after suturing the wound and flows out when the suture is stretched under its pressure. This can happen both immediately after the operation, and after a few weeks. A “pocket” of fluid formed under the skin is called a seroma by surgeons. In most cases, seromas do not threaten the health of patients and go away on their own. Help is required only for those who have a strong reaction.

Why do seromas occur?

Seroma is the body's response to trauma and a foreign body, i.e., an implant. The soft tissues around the implant become inflamed and secrete serous fluid. This fluid is blood serum that seeps through the walls of small blood vessels. If the fluid is not drained through the drain, it accumulates in the sutured wound.

The development of complications can contribute to:

increased tissue reactivity (for example, in diabetes mellitus or rheumatic diseases),
lack of installed drains after surgery,
physical activity in the early postoperative period, refusal to wear compression underwear.

How to detect gray?

Signs of seroma after mammoplasty include:

the appearance of swelling and thickening of tissues in the lower part of the chest,
an increase in body temperature up to 38 ° C,
discharge of a clear or yellowish liquid from the suture.

Some patients may experience redness and soreness at the site of swelling. The presence of fluid in the mammary gland after mammoplasty is confirmed by the results of ultrasound.

Treatment

Small seromas usually resolve on their own, so patients with such formations are simply observed. Your doctor may recommend pain medication to reduce discomfort.
If the seroma increases rapidly or an abscess (suppuration of the wound) is suspected, the fluid is removed through a drain. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia. To prevent infection, the patient is prescribed antibacterial agents.

In 95% of cases, seromas are completely cured in 5-7 days. The transferred complication does not affect the results. Upon completion of treatment, both mammary glands acquire the same aesthetic appearance.

Mammoplasty is a way to change the shape and size of the female breast. The procedure involves surgical intervention in the delicate tissue of the mammary glands. In any case, scars remain after the operation, since the specialist needs to make an incision to insert the implant.

It is not worth asking if scars remain after mammoplasty, because scars of different lengths and thicknesses are the norm for any operation. Another thing is how the scar will behave - it will completely dissolve or there will still be a trace of the seam on the body.

The question of how to get rid of scars on the improved breast becomes relevant.

Types of scars after mammoplasty

Modern technologies for plastic surgery, which include breast correction and breast lift, suggest that the scars will be subtle.

To perform mammoplasty, the surgeon practices one of the methods of dissection of the breast tissue:

Submammary - access through the fold under the mammary gland. The scar resembles an imprint from a bra band.
Periareolar - an incision between the pigmented areola of the nipple and the skin of the breast is made for the purpose of tightening. After removal of excess skin, a small scar remains on the stitched area. It dissolves and becomes barely noticeable after about six months.
Transabdominal - subcutaneous passage for the implant is carried out through an incision in the umbilical region. The procedure is easily tolerated by the body and does not leave noticeable imprints on the abdomen.
Transaxillary - incisions are made under the armpits. The method is rarely used due to the risk of bleeding. It is not suitable for correcting asymmetric breasts and shifting the natural crease.

For the outflow of fluid, drainage tubes are installed in patients. Their presence causes swelling and bruising. It is impossible to wet and treat the seams with special preparations immediately after the operation, to eliminate bruises - too. To reduce swelling, experts recommend applying elastic bandages and wearing compression underwear.

Self-absorbable threads for suturing the mammary glands are not used by plastic surgeons. 10 days after the operation, the stitches have to be removed as usual, which causes pain and discomfort.

In women, scars after mammoplasty, the photos of which are given below, are formed in several varieties:

Why do scars form after mammoplasty?

The formation of subtle scars and rough unaesthetic scars after the completion of mammoplasty is due to several factors. First of all, it should be said about people whose skin is not prone to scarring. Injuries and incisions for them pass without a trace, reminding of themselves only with a thin, barely noticeable line.

The causes of severe hypertrophy in women after breast augmentation are associated with tension in the skin and the edges of the suture. Access to the site where the implant will be installed is provided through the inframammary fold or an incision along the diameter of the areola. Affected areas scar over time.

Why do scars and scars remain after mammoplasty:

Heredity. The tendency to form keloids is often associated with a genetic factor. It is almost impossible to identify it at the planning stage of the operation.
Sloppy work of the surgeon. Mammoplasty involves layer-by-layer dissection and separation of the mammary gland. At the end of the operation, sutures are applied. Inaccurate stitching of tissues leads to the fact that the operated area becomes rough.
Suture material. Incorrectly selected threads, in particular, absorbable ones, provoke aseptic inflammation and scarring of the dermis.
Poor electrocoagulation. The procedure for "soldering" the capillaries is necessary to prevent bleeding. It is impossible to treat the outer layers of the mammary glands with an electrocoagulator.

The visibility of the scar on the chest after an increase, reduction or lift depends on the experience of the specialist and the technique that he uses. If a woman follows all the doctor's recommendations regarding the postoperative period, the risk of rough sutures will be minimal.

Scars and scars after mammoplasty: how and how to remove

There are several options for scar correction after mammoplasty - how to remove it, the doctor will decide, taking into account the type of scar and the general condition of the patient. Surgical removal is the removal of tension without electrocoagulation. The specialist dissects the coarsened tissue and applies new sutures from thin monofilament threads.

In the initial stages of scarring, you can get by with external preparations that slow down the synthesis of connective tissue. Also, drug treatment is prescribed as an additional measure after repeated surgical intervention. According to indications, special drugs are injected into the hypertrophic scar.

How to remove scars after mammoplasty, a woman should decide immediately, without relying on Contractubex or Mederma. Treating sutures on the mammary glands with ointments alone is not enough. In this case, the following procedures will be effective:

The most gentle method is peeling with fruit acids. Organic components stimulate collagen synthesis, even out the relief of the scar and reduce its size. Chemical peeling is indicated for the correction of keloid and hypertrophic scars. It can be carried out one year after the operation to change the shape of the breast, when the rehabilitation period is completed completely.

Skin resurfacing (microdermabrasion) is done using aluminum oxide (a special microcrystalline powder). It effectively smoothes fresh scars. Not old scars lend themselves well to softening under the influence of retinol and fruit acids. Sessions must be attended throughout the year. Long-term correction removes scars completely.

With scars and scars on the mammary glands after mammoplasty, you can fight using gels and ointments containing allantoin. But, according to experts, they will not be able to eliminate pronounced marks on the body.

Mammoplasty: prevention of postoperative scars

Any patient who strictly complies with all the doctor's prescriptions can minimize the risk of scarring and scarring after mammoplasty. The first important recommendation is to wear a silicone bandage, bandage or compression underwear.

Protracted wounds can be hidden under silicone patches. With regular use, the plates soften and narrow the scars.

By agreement with the doctor, the sutures are treated with cortisone creams. Dermatix, Mederma, Contractubex, Kelo-Kot and other products level and reduce the defective surface. You can lubricate the chest with them after the crust falls off at the site of the seam, and the scar tissue becomes light.

After hygiene procedures, moisturizing creams and lotions containing hydrolyzed proteins are used to treat areas with seams. Due to their effect, the elasticity of overdried tissues increases. It is forbidden to take a bath during the first 3 weeks after the operation.

Physical activity on the shoulders and carrying objects weighing more than 3 kg is allowed from the 4th month. Until this time, the scar tissue remains fragile and prone to growth.

During the rehabilitation period, vitamin E will be beneficial. The task of the substance is to prevent the formation of fibrous tissue around the implanted implant.

Proper care of the sutures after surgery is the basis for a speedy recovery after surgery. Therefore, a professional surgeon pays special attention to this point of the rehabilitation program. Although this process is individual for each patient, there are general recommendations for care. We want to talk about them today.

Seams after mammoplasty: their types and features

To create a surgical access to the implant site, the surgeon needs to make a tissue incision in the selected place, where then a thin cosmetic suture will be applied. Three types of approaches for breast augmentation are common in aesthetic surgery:

Submammary - the incision passes under the bust in a natural skin fold. If the patient has a sufficient amount of her integumentary tissues in the chest area, the sutures after mammoplasty are hardly distinguishable here.
Axillary - access is performed in the axillary zone. The seam in the armpit after healing almost completely merges with the natural color of the body.
Perialleolar - an incision is made along the lower border of the areola. The seams here have an aesthetic appearance and quickly become invisible.

Seams after mammoplasty tighten the edges of the surgical wound for its speedy healing. There are several types of them:

Normotrophic. They are an area of the skin that is slightly lighter than the main color of the tissues and is not felt at all when touched. In order for the seams to be completely aligned in shade, cosmetic peeling is enough.
Hypertrophic. Such scars are pink in color and protrude slightly. Peels and laser resurfacing are used to completely smooth them.
Keloid. These are the most difficult stitches after mammoplasty. Outwardly, they look rough, compacted, stand out with pigmentation and can be painful when touched.

Why do keloid scars appear?

Keloid scars are a complication of breast augmentation. Among the reasons for their formation are the following:

features of the body's immune system;
hereditary predisposition;
excessive skin tension in the healing zone;
suppuration or infection of the postoperative wound.

It should be noted that the seams after mammoplasty do not necessarily turn into keloids. This process mainly has a hereditary predisposition and manifests itself gradually, in some cases - up to 2 years. Therefore, with the constant supervision of a doctor, you can notice the ongoing changes in time and stop their development.

How to care for seams?

Each patient, before stepping into the operating room, must understand that thin and barely noticeable scars after surgery will remain in any case. But thanks to proper and careful care, they can be made little distinguishable. Here is a list of the main recommendations on how to handle stitches after mammoplasty.

Smoking is strictly not recommended during the period of preparation for the intervention and until the final rehabilitation.
Compression garments must be worn for up to six weeks after the surgical procedure.
Seams after mammoplasty are treated with antiseptics (the drug and the frequency of application are prescribed by the surgeon). Also, the doctor can prescribe patches and silicone pads that prevent the appearance of rough scars.
Contact with water is prohibited for the first week - the seams after mammoplasty during this period should remain dry.
After hygienic procedures, a moisturizer or lotion should be applied to the place of the seams in order to avoid overdrying the skin and to maintain its elasticity.
So that the seams after mammoplasty do not separate and tighten properly, in the first six months after the operation, physical activity on the shoulder girdle of the muscles should be limited.

And most importantly - steadily follow all the recommendations of your plastic surgeon. Then the recovery process will be quick and painless, and the stitches after mammoplasty will be completely invisible. Be healthy and beautiful!

- an aesthetic procedure that women go to, wanting to add volume or restore the beauty of their bust. Many people think about the result, but soon after the operation they are faced with questions regarding the stitches.

What do stitches look like after mammoplasty?

There are several types of sutures for mammoplasty, depending on the specific situation and type of operation:

Cosmetic. Differs in fast healing and fast clarification. Done with threads.
Fixation of tissues with staples with a special gun.
invisible seam. It is carried out using fibrin-based glue. It is considered one of the most attractive from an aesthetic point of view, since after tissue healing it becomes literally invisible and indistinguishable to the eye.

Invisible seams are the most attractive, since in this case the regenerative processes proceed much faster. If you follow the recommendations of the doctor over time, they really become almost invisible.

The use of one or another type of suture material, as well as access methods, also provides the appropriate type of sutures after mammoplasty. The appearance is influenced by factors such as:

The extent and depth of the wound;
skin elasticity;
Physiology of the skin;
Individual characteristics of the body;

Breast reduction and stitches after it - the topic of the video below:

Their varieties

The most inconspicuous seams are those that were made on the periolar approach on the border of the pigmented skin of the nipple. With its help, after six months, the place of intervention will practically not be visible. But there is a minus here - the sensitivity of the nipple is lost for at least a few months, and in some cases - for good.
With axillary access the sutures will be located in the armpit at the border of the pectoralis major muscle. That is, the access point will be hidden from view. But such an impact leads to its disadvantages - inaccessibility and the risk of open bleeding. Such an incision is made with asymmetry of the mammary glands, and also if it is necessary to displace the submammary fold.
Submammary access is done directly under the breast along the contour of the natural skin fold. It is considered one of the best types of access with minimal risks for the patient. After healing, such seams become almost invisible and are easily hidden under linen.
Transareolar method access is presented in the form of a transverse section of the areola, that is, the nipple. Differs in the greatest traumatism and insecurity. But on the other hand, seams of this type are considered one of the least noticeable.

In general, the type of sutures depends on the professionalism, talent of the surgeon, as well as on the personal characteristics of a particular organism. So, for example, even with perfectly done work, if, then it will not be possible to avoid inaccurate healing of scars.

At first, the seams look like red stripes. Over time, they will lighten until they bleach. But in some cases, especially if they took place in, healing may go slower, and the sutures themselves may change.

Carefully! In the photo, stitches after mammoplasty by day (click to open)

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How long does healing take

In general, tissue healing proceeds within 2 months, although it is too early to talk about complete rehabilitation even at this time. This is explained by the fact that in addition to the external disappearance of the wound surface, the restoration of internal structures at the site of intervention is also underway.

It is also worth considering that for each person the regeneration process proceeds in its own way. For some, serious wounds heal in a month, while for others, even scratches last for weeks.

Pain after surgery

It is worth preparing for the fact that the stitches will hurt for some time after mammoplasty. Therefore, the first couple of weeks will have to take painkillers. But if the pain sensation is of high intensity or persists for a long time, then you should consult a doctor. There are several reasons for this manifestation:

Friction of clothing (for example, a compression corset);
Postoperative complications;

In the latter case, pain occurs with a sharp movement of the hands. At the same time, the skin is stretched, and the internal tissues that have not yet been completely restored will give such sensations.

In the case of c, the wrong choice of size or type of compression strap is often encountered. In this case, it is necessary either to change clothes, or, if there are additional fasteners, loosen them by one position. But this can be done only after consultation with the specialist who performed the operation.

Carefully! The video shows the creation of a suture for breast augmentation (click to open)

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Removal of stitches

Usually the threads are removed already at the first visit to the surgeon after the operation. This happens on average after ten days, if there are no complications. If the intervention was performed using a bioresorbable material, then the sutures are generally not removed. The same applies to the use of "invisible seams".

If we talk about the removal of sutures that do not dissolve, then the process is carried out quite quickly. Many talk about painlessness, but this procedure can hardly be called particularly pleasant. Pain will be present, but generally categorized as "tolerable".

If they disperse or fester

There are two emergencies when going to the doctor is critical not only in terms of aesthetics, but also health:

If the seam has come apart;
If the seam

If the edges of the wound have parted, then you should not panic. You need to carefully examine the seams, assess the situation soberly. After that, the best and only thing that the patient can do is to treat the place with an antiseptic composition to reduce the risk of infection.

If the wound is suppurated, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible, as this is a sign of infection at the seams. Most often, such a symptom develops against the background and accumulation of blood, which is an ideal habitat for bacteria. When confirming the diagnosis, the doctor immediately dissolves the sutures, cleans the wound surfaces, eliminating suppuration and dead tissue. After that, the surface is treated with an antiseptic and an antibacterial ointment is applied. Instead of an ointment, the doctor may decide to take systemic antibiotics in the form of injections or tablets.