What Can I Do For My Sensitive Breast Lift Scars?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I had breast lift surgery about seven weeks ago. They were fine until three weeks after surgery when the bottom part of my incision opened up to about the size of a quarter. It has now finally healed but the healed areas are very sensitive and it hurts to touch. I can’t wear any type of bra and as light as shirts are, I can’t stand it touching it, I lay down and sleep at night but when when I roll over it rubs against the mattress and wakes me up throbbing. I have attached a few pictures for you to see. Is there anything I can do to be able to wear clothes?

A: Based on your pictures it looks like your breast lift wounds have nearly healed and now you just some sensitive scar formation over the wounds, which is very typical at this point in the healing. That sensitivity of the scars will decrease over time but the question is what you can do now. They would be best treated by either silicone topical gel or silicone scar sheets, both of which are available over the counter in a drugstore. Either way you need to keep them covered so they don’t get rubbed on which is obviously uncomfortable due to the scar’s sensitivity. As the scars settle down and mature more this sensitivity will go away. The silicone sheeting can be particularly helpful in providing both coverage of them and expediting the scar maturation process.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana