If you have ever experienced a raised and thick scar after surgery or an injury this is known as hypertrophic scarring. Hypertrophic scarring is often a result of burned skin, but can also occur after cosmetic surgery. This is true even for surgery of the breasts, chest and armpit areas.
If you are one of the many patients with any history of hypertrophic scarring it is important to mention this issue to your surgeon prior to treatment. This will allow your surgeon to prepare for this potential complication and even adjust the location of your incisions if necessary and possible.
Just because the thinner skin of the chest area isn’t in the most common area to see hypertrophic scars, it does not mean that this type of scarring cannot occur. They may also take several weeks or even months to appear after surgery. Hypertrophic scarring can occur within six months after surgery. Although they will eventually flatten out, the thick raised skin of a hypertrophic scar is often quite concerning to patients and can make them self-conscious.
Incisions that are too tightly closed, or areas of the body which has a lot of tension on the skin, are more susceptible to hypertrophic scarring.
Contact our office to learn more about this potential side effect of cosmetic surgery and how to improve your chances against scarring during treatment.
