I received an email from a patient that had undergone a breast augmentation through a periareolar incision.  She had decided to undergo the procedure through a periareolar incision because her surgeon assured her that this approach would provide an almost imperceptable scar.  She noted that her scar has spread significantly and “…looks terrible.”  She wondered if her scar could be improved. 

Without seeing this patient, I suspect that she experienced spreading of her scar because the muscle layer responsible for causing contraction of the nipple and areola during arousal or exposure to cold was not repaired during her surgery.   Vasquez et al. has done a nice anatomical study demonstrating the radial and circular muscle fibers responsible for this problem.  It is apparent from their study that failure to suture this muscle layer during a breast procedure would allow retraction of the muscle  and widening of the scar.  To correct this patient’s problem, the incision could be opened and the muscle layer identified and repaired. 

Our websites www.beauty-surgeon.com and www.drmckane.com have additional information and before and after photographs of aesthetic plastic surgery for review.  I invite you to schedule a consultation with me if you would like to learn more about breast augmentation or improvement of scars.  Please feel free to contact our office at (713) 661-5255 if you have any questions.

-Brice W. McKane, M.D.

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