Background: Many women that undergo breast augmentation surgery have had children. As a result of pregnancy and breast engorgement, stretch marks commonly develop. They occur in a radiating fashion from the nipple in a perpendicular orientation to the relaxed skin tension lines of the breast,
Since so many women have breast stretch marks, it is a common question as to how they will appear after the breast is markedly increased in size. There has never been a definitive study of this question although plastic surgeons have an inordinate amount of anecdotal experience with this observation.
Since stretch marks represent incomplete tears of the underlying dermis, it would be reasonable to expect them to get wider as the breast mound inflates with an implant. This is much like the areola as its diameter increases as a result of breast augmentation surgery. But does this stretch mark widening persist and does it look worse on a long-term basis?
Case Study: This young female had two children previously. As a result she lost much of her breast volume and acquired a large number of stretch marks. With a loose and deflated breast mound the stretch marks were not that noticeable.
Under general anesthesia saline breast implants were placed through a transaxillary incisional approach. The implant size was 300cc inflated to 350ccs. Her 6 weeks after surgery rests show that her stretch marks has relax to the point that they looked no worse than before surgery.
Most of the time stretch marks after breast augmentation return to their presurgical appearance. With rare exception stretch marks can appear worse if their color turns red. This is somewhat dependent on implant size and how much stretch is placed on the breast mound.
Highlights:
1) Many women that undergo breast augmentation surgery have stretch marks.
2) Like the entire breast mound, stretch marks get bigger with with the push of underlying implants.
3) But with skin relaxation after surgery stretch marks return to their preoperative state.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana