incisions

[bullman]

1. How many incisions are there?
2. What incision should I get? What incision is best?
3. How long will my incision be?
4. I am getting a lift, can my lift incisions be used to insert my implants?
5. My bra is hurting my incision lines, what can I do?
6. Why do some surgeons make large incisions compared to some endoscopic incisions I have seen?
7. Is it true TUBA has a lessened chance of staph-infection? What about the other incisions?
8. How long does it take for scars to fade in all the incision placements? Do some areas heal better than others?
9. Will my surgeon use permanent or dissolvable incisions for my incision lines?
10. What are Steri-Strips®? or Surgi-Tape? Why do some surgeons use them and some don't?
11. Can't my surgeon use fibrin tissue sealant (tissue glue) on my incisions?
12. I just had my sutures removed and my incision line is opening back up? How can I tell if I have an infection?
13. My surgeon gave me 2 sets of incisions, peri-areolar and inframammary. He/She said it was to help him/her place and situate the breast implants correctly. But my friends don't have four sets? What gives?
14. How long do I have to wait to use scar remedies on my incision lines?
15. I want to go larger (or need a revision) can my surgeon use my old incisions?
16. Is TUBA really scarless?
17. I keloid, which incision site is best for me?
18. If start to develop hypertrophic scarring what can be done about it?

[styleguru]

1. How many incisions are there?

There are FOUR:

* inframmary: also known as a crease incision which results in an incision anywhere from one inch to four inches in the mammary fold.
* transaxillary: this is also known as the armpit incision and is an endoscopic approach.
* peri-areolar: this is also known as the nipple incision. The incision is not actually on the nipple but around the areolae. This stems from peri meaning around or near and areolar refers to the areolae which is the colored disc of skin which surrounds the nipple. This incision is done endoscopically and usually results in a small, undetectable scar unless you do not scar well. The incision can be above, on either side or underneath, at the border of the areola.
* transumbilical: known as TUBA, for short. This procedure involves a scar within the navel and sometimes partially outside of it and is all done endoscopically.

However, if you are having an abdominoplasty at the same time it is possible to have your implants inserted through your abdominoplasty incision. However, not all surgeons offer this option.

[styleguru]

2. What incision should I get? What incision is best?

This is up to you and more than likely what options your local surgeons offer. Do not choose your surgeon based upon incision alone. There are incision cliques and surgeons will insist one is better than the other, It all depends upon your needs but they will all give you the same result (the incision will, not the surgeons) bigger breasts, period. One only will give you less scarring than the other if you need no lift. If I personally had to pick I'd get TUBA (if I didn't need a lift). But that is just me and I am biased on this one because I have had TUBA.

[styleguru]

3. How long will my incision be?

This depends upon the placement, implant surface, type and size. The skin on the abdomen is far more elastic than the breasts and the breasts on slightly more elastic than the underarm. That is why TUBA incisions are very small, and underarm and breast incisions about the same. Hence your incisions can be anywhere from one to one and a quarter inches, on up to 4 inches.

When you have a larger implant the incision will have to be larger to insert the rolled up implant into the breast. When the surface is textured, a slightly larger (only by a hair) incision is made because they are thicker, more abrasive and need a little more room obviously. When they are pre-filled of course they will need to be towards the larger end of the spectrum.

[styleguru]

4. I am getting a lift, can my lift incisions be used to insert my implants?

Yes, if you are having a lift no additional insertion incision is usually made, the lift incisions are utilized. If you are even having an abdominoplasty along with your BA, your breast implants can be inserted from the abdomen incision. But not all surgeons will do the latter.

[styleguru]

5. My bra is hurting my incision lines, what can I do?

If your incisions have closed you can either wear an ACE bandage around your breasts and then wear the bra on top of it all, or use foam padding like EPIfoam™ from BioDermis.com. EPIfoam™ has an adhesive silicone sheeting side and a foam pad so that your underwires or bra band does not cause irritation. Plus the silicone sheeting helps fade and flatten your scars.

*Please ask your surgeon before using any product or wearing any item that may conflict with his post-operative instructions.

**BreastImplants4You and NewImage.com have no financial ties to BioDermis or EPIfoam™.

[styleguru]

6. Why do some surgeons make large incisions compared to some endoscopic incisions I have seen?

Not all surgeons are going to give you the same options as the next. This is just a fact of life and an unfortunate one. Not all surgeons agree with every type or any different type of technique than what he pr she has been using for years. So please have several consultations with several qualified and experienced surgeons. All surgeons are NOT created equally.

[styleguru]

7. Is it true TUBA has a lessened chance of staph-infection? What about the other incisions?

Some surgeons believe and have found during case comparison that instances of staph infections are lessened when implanted transumbilically as opposed to incisions on the breast, particularly peri-areolar where the implants are passed through the milk ducts where staph naturally lives. It is also believed that in the unlikely event of an infection of the incision area--in TUBA, the infection if contracted post-operatively is far from the implant pocket which would more than likely not result in a necessary implant removal.

If an infection is present in the implant pockets, you will more than likely need removal, antibiotic treatment and replacement after at least 3 months (or when the infection is completely cleared up).

[styleguru]

8. How long does it take for scars to fade in all the incision placements? Do some areas heal better than others?

Scar formation is very dependent upon the individual and a very necessary act of the healing phase. However, scar maturation is observed at approximately 10 to 12 months months in humans. The scar will appear at its worst at approximately 3 months when it is red and raised. It will begin to fade thereafter to a matching, but usually lighter flesh tone. The lighter skin is actually lighter because of less melanin present and also the scar is only 80% the strength of unaltered, undamaged skin. This can account for the stretching or thinning breast incisions may have after augmentation. Hence another reason many surgeons like trans-axillary or transumbilical breast augmentation incisions.

[styleguru]

9. Will my surgeon use permanent, non-dissolvable or dissolvable incisions for my incision lines?

This is entirely dependent upon your surgeon's technique of choice and what procedures will be performed. With standard augmentation procedures, sutures are usually non-dissolvable type and are removed within 7 to 10 days. Larger incisions, incision line stress (larger implants) can result in sutures which remain longer in your skin. Also if you are having a breast lift (mastopexy) or are having an areolae reduction, permanent sutures and non-dissolvable sutures are a possibility depending upon the technique. Please ask your surgeon regarding his or her own specific technique(s) of choice.