Diminish Breast Lift Scars with Embrace

Breast lift surgeries are on the rise, up 89% since 2000 according to the latest statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Ideal for women whose breasts have drooped due to age and pregnancy, or who are exchanging their implants for a smaller size, a breast lift gives the plastic surgeon total control to completely reshape and rejuvenate the breast. But, like any surgery, it results in scars which have historically been a patient’s biggest fear when it comes to considering a breast lift. Today, however, many surgeons such as Dr. Camille Cash of Houston, Texas are using the Embrace Active Scar Defense to help reduce patients scars by up to 60-70%.

by Katherine Stuart
and Camille Cash, MD

Implant Exchange & The Breast Lift

Breast augmentation surgery is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures in the world. Many patients are getting implants when they’re young which means that at some point, these implants will need to be replaced. According to Dr. Cash, rarely, “does a patient come in for just a simple implant exchange. If they’ve had their implants in for some time, you’re going to need to correct something.”

Age, birth, and nursing all take their toll on a woman’s breasts. Furthermore, many patients wind up exchanging their implants for a smaller size. Sometimes, this can be accomplished with a simple implant exchange and pocket correction. Oftentimes however, the patient will need a breast lift in order to achieve her desired results. A breast lift allows surgeons to “not only reduce the size of the implant but to reduce the breast size around the implant.”

Scars, A Necessary Evil?

It is impossible to simply replace a larger implant with a smaller one. It looks like a “rock in the sock” — deflated and aesthetically unattractive. Breast lift surgery gives surgeons the total control needed to completely reshape and rejuvenate a woman’s breast. The trade-of is it does require incisions which means scars on the breast. Sometimes the job of surgeons is to, “bridge the gap between what patients want and what it’s going to take to get them what they want.” Meticulous surgical techniques and sutures that dissolve go a long way towards minimizing scarring. But now, many surgeons are also using a new tool, the Embrace Active Scar Defense. Embrace doesn’t eliminate scars, but it does reduce the appearance of them by up to 60-70% with extremely high patient satisfaction.

What is Embrace?

Embrace is almost like an adhesive device that is applied to the incision a week or two after surgery. It works in 3 ways. It decreases tension across the incision thus preventing the root cause of scarring. It protects the incision from further stress caused by everyday movement thus minimizing widening and thickening of the scar. And it delivers medical grade silicone to smooth, flatten and fade the scar by hydrating the scar tissue. Patients who wear the device report that their incisions feel both more comfortable and secure. Unlike silicone tape, it’s not the ingredients that sets the Embrace apart, but the application and design principal.

“I’m a big believer in educating patients and showing them photos,” says Cash. Once patients see what the breast lift scars look like on former patients, they usually decide that the scar trade-off is worth it.