With so much to discuss, arrange, and worry about when you are planning a breast augmentation, the last thing you may think about is how the healing process and scarring will affect you. Although not the most glamorous part of a breast augmentation, the recovery is a very important part of the procedure and knowing what to expect will make all the difference. Dr. Brent offers the best plastic surgery in Los Angeles and can help give you realistic expectations and inform you of the details for every step of the way.

Scarring is Non-Negotiable

The first thing to understand when planning a breast augmentation is that scarring is inevitable because you are making incisions in the skin. This inherently means that tissue will try to rebuild itself and create some level of scarring. The length and prominence of the scarring is dependent on the doctor that you use and the type of breast augmentation you undergo. Although scarring is inevitable, that doesn’t mean that you will end up with particularly large and nasty scarring. Finding an experienced doctor and doing all you can to preemptively help the incisions heal are a necessity to minimize scarring. The world is full of plastic surgeons, but few are as experienced as Dr. Brent, who offers premier plastic surgery in Los Angeles.

Different Types of Breast Augmentation and the Associated Scarring

Although breast augmentation inherently leaves scarring, the type of breast augmentation technique that is performed will have varying results. Depending on your desired outcome, Dr. Brent will know which technique to utilize to mitigate the risk of scarring as much as possible. The following are some of the most common techniques and how the recovery will leave scars:

• The least amount of work that is performed means the least risk of scarring, so the “scarless lift” is pretty straightforward. Those patients that are looking to get extremely minimal work done to reduce sagging of the breasts can utilize this technique, where the doctor does not make incisions. Instead, electrical currents are used to manipulate fat cells and the skin around the breast.
• The crescent lift and donut lift are two minimally invasive techniques used that have a low risk of scarring because both techniques only make one incision.
• The lollipop lift is the most common lift when it comes to breast augmentation and involves a vertical incision. Although two incisions are made and there is a higher risk for scarring, this technique is implemented because it allows for greater reshaping rather than just fixing the sagging.
• Utilizing horizontal incisions as much as possible helps minimize the amount of scarring that is observable because it flows with the natural shape of the breast.

Be sure to discuss everything that you want out of your breast augmentation with your doctor, so that they can help you get the shape and size you really want while minimizing the amount of scarring that will be present. Dr. Brent performs plastic surgery in Los Angeles that has left numerous patients with the best results they could hope for.

Preventative and Treatment Options for Scarring

Although scarring is inevitable, there are some preventative measures you can take to help with the recovery. Protecting your skin as much as possible is important, so try to stay out of the sun for extended lengths of time and use sunscreen. Do not do any extraneous activities to make sure the skin has time to heal itself. Although it may not seem relevant, abstaining from smoking for a few weeks before and after the surgery will actually help with the recovery. And the most obvious thing you can do is drink plenty of water and eat nutritiously so that your body is at its peak performance for recovery. There are a few things you can do if scarring starts to become pronounced as well, such as topical creams and supplements that help the skin.

If you are looking for plastic surgery in Los Angeles, be sure to contact the best-rated doctor in the area. Contact Dr. Brent today!