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Breast Surgery · Scar Guide

Breast Augmentation Scars What to Expect & Scar Care

Where breast implant scars sit, how they change over 18 months, and the practical scar care plan that helps them settle as softly and discreetly as possible.

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5 min read Surgeon: Ms Anna De Leo · GMC 6138534 Updated 4 October 2026

What do breast augmentation scars look like?

Breast augmentation scars are usually short and well hidden. Ms Anna De Leo generally places the incision in the crease beneath each breast, where the scar sits in the natural fold and is covered by most bras and bikinis. At first the scar is pink and slightly raised; over 12–18 months it typically flattens and fades to a fine pale line. Careful scar care helps, but everyone heals differently and Ms De Leo gives you a personal plan.

Please note: this information is general and is published by ADLSynergy, which collaborates with Ms Anna De Leo. ADLSynergy does not perform surgery. Every detail and value — timings, recovery, suitability and costs — must always be confirmed with Ms Anna De Leo at consultation or through her official website, deleoanna.com.

Breast Augmentation scars at a glance

Usual incisionCrease beneath the breast
Scar care startsOnce fully healed
Sun protectionAt least 12 months
Scar matures12–18 months

Typical only — everyone heals differently. Ms De Leo gives you a personal plan.

How breast augmentation scars change over time

How your scars typically mature over time, and how to care for them at each stage.

Weeks 1–2

Closed and protected

The incision is closed with fine dissolvable stitches beneath the skin and covered with a light dressing or skin tape. The line looks neat but may be a little red, with bruising nearby. Your post-operative bra band should sit below or above the scar rather than rubbing directly on it. Keep dressings clean and dry, following the showering advice you are given.

Do

  • Keep dressings in place as instructed
  • Check the bra does not rub the incision

Avoid

  • Creams, oils or gels on the wound
  • Soaking in a bath
Weeks 3–6

Starting scar care

Once the wound is fully closed with no scabs, Ms De Leo usually advises starting silicone gel or sheets. The scar may feel firm and slightly lumpy as collagen is laid down; this is normal. Some women notice itching, a sign of active healing. Gentle massage is introduced when advised, often after your six-week review.

Do

  • Apply silicone gel twice daily or wear sheets
  • Use a fragrance-free moisturiser around the area

Avoid

  • Picking at skin glue or remaining tape
  • Friction from underwire
Months 2–3

The 'angry' phase

Many scars look their reddest and most raised between six weeks and three months. This can be disheartening, but it is a normal part of remodelling. Because the implant puts the lower breast under gentle stretch, the crease scar may feel tight. Daily silicone and regular massage help, and sun protection becomes particularly important.

Do

  • Massage with firm circular pressure
  • Use SPF 50 if the area is exposed

Avoid

  • Sunbeds and direct sun on the scar
Months 3–6

Flattening and softening

The scar usually begins to soften, flatten and lose some of its redness. As the implants drop into their final position, the crease scar should settle neatly in the fold. If a scar instead becomes thicker, more raised or increasingly itchy, mention it at your review so it can be assessed early.

Do

  • Continue silicone and massage
  • Photograph the scar monthly to track change

Avoid

  • Stopping scar care too early
Months 6–12

Fading

The colour gradually moves from pink towards your natural skin tone, sometimes slightly paler or, in darker skin, a little darker. The texture becomes more supple. By now most women find the scar is only noticeable when they lift the breast or look closely.

Do

  • Keep protecting from sun
  • Maintain good nutrition and hydration
Months 12–18

Mature scar

Scars typically reach maturity between one year and eighteen months. A mature scar is flat, soft and pale. This is also the point at which any decision about scar treatment or revision is best made, because earlier changes are often still improving on their own.

Do

  • Review the final appearance with Ms De Leo if concerned
  • Keep using sun protection on exposed scars

Where Are Breast Augmentation Scars?

Inframammary (crease) incision

Ms De Leo usually prefers an incision in the fold where the breast meets the chest wall. It is typically a few centimetres long, sits hidden beneath the breast when standing, and is covered by most bras and swimwear. It also avoids cutting through the breast tissue and milk ducts.

Periareolar incision

In selected cases an incision can follow the lower edge of the areola, where the colour change helps disguise it. Because it passes through breast tissue, it carries a higher chance of nipple sensation change, which is why it is used less often.

“Scarless”* breast augmentation

Ms De Leo's “Scarless”* approach uses small, carefully positioned incisions and modern technology to place implants or perform fat transfer. The asterisk matters: every incision leaves a scar. The aim is a minimal, well-hidden scar that blends with your skin, and results vary from person to person. Read more on our breast augmentation page.

Your Breast Augmentation Scar Care Plan

  1. Protect early: keep dressings clean and follow wound instructions in the first two weeks.
  2. Silicone: once fully healed, silicone gel or sheets daily for at least three months, ideally longer.
  3. Massage: when advised, firm circular and along-the-line massage for a few minutes, two or three times a day, to soften the scar and reduce tightness.
  4. Sun protection: keep the scar covered or use SPF 50 for at least 12 months; ultraviolet light can darken immature scars permanently.
  5. Bra choice: avoid underwire sitting on the scar until advised, as repeated friction can thicken it.
  6. Nutrition and lifestyle: enough protein, vitamin C and zinc support collagen, and not smoking makes a real difference to scar quality.

The Scar You Cannot See: The Implant Capsule

Every breast implant is surrounded by a thin layer of internal scar tissue called a capsule. Normally it is soft and you are unaware of it. In capsular contracture the capsule thickens and tightens, making the breast firmer, higher or misshapen, sometimes with discomfort. It is graded by how firm and visible the change is. Ms De Leo's page notes that placing the implant partly beneath the muscle can help reduce this risk. Contact the team if you notice one breast becoming progressively harder, whether months or years after surgery.

Raised Scars: Hypertrophic and Keloid Scars

A hypertrophic scar stays raised and red but remains within the line of the incision, and often improves with time. A keloid grows beyond the original incision and tends to persist. The chest is one of the areas most prone to both. You may be at higher risk if you have darker skin, a personal or family history of keloids, or previous thick scars, so mention this at consultation. Wound tension, infection and smoking also increase the risk.

If a Breast Augmentation Scar Does Not Settle

Most crease scars fade well with patience and consistent care. Where a scar remains thick or troublesome, options Ms De Leo may discuss include more intensive silicone therapy, pressure, steroid injections to flatten raised or keloid scars, and, once the scar has matured, surgical scar revision. If implants are ever exchanged in future, the original scar is usually reused and can be refined at the same time. Our guide to breast augmentation recovery covers the wider healing timeline.

Supported by the ADLSynergy team

Scar care is where the ADLSynergy recovery team can make a practical difference. Once Ms De Leo confirms the incisions have healed, Tika, a theatre practitioner with more than 30 years in plastic surgery and scar management, can teach you how to massage the crease scars yourself and provide hands-on scar massage sessions. Early manual lymphatic drainage may help reduce swelling around the breasts. Red light therapy, oxygen therapy and nutrition support can be discussed as optional additions to good basic scar care, which remains the foundation.

Meet the team · Oxygen & red light therapy · Longevity & nutrition

When to contact us urgently

  • Redness spreading from the scar, warmth or discharge
  • The wound opening or a stitch working its way through the skin
  • Fever or feeling unwell
  • A scar growing beyond the original incision line or becoming very itchy and raised
  • One breast becoming progressively harder, higher or painful

Call the team on +44 (0) 7732 475 751. For chest pain, sudden breathlessness or heavy bleeding, call 999 or go to A&E.

Patient guide published by ADLSynergy about breast augmentation with Ms Anna De Leo (GMC 6138534), plastic surgeon of the ADLSynergy team. Official surgeon page: deleoanna.com · Last updated 4 October 2026.

Breast Augmentation · Scar Guide

Breast Augmentation Scars: Your Questions

Please note: this information is general and is published by ADLSynergy, which collaborates with Ms Anna De Leo. ADLSynergy does not perform surgery. Every detail and value — timings, recovery, suitability and costs — must always be confirmed with Ms Anna De Leo at consultation or through her official website, deleoanna.com.

How big are breast augmentation scars?
With the inframammary approach the scar is usually a few centimetres long, sitting in the crease beneath each breast. Its exact length depends on the implant and technique. Ms De Leo plans incisions to keep scars as short and well hidden as safely possible, and will show you where yours will sit at consultation.
Will my breast augmentation scars be visible?
Crease scars are usually hidden when standing, and are covered by most bras and bikinis. They can be seen when lying back or lifting the breast. In the first months they are pink and noticeable, but most fade to a fine pale line within 12–18 months. Everyone heals differently, so scar appearance varies.
What does “Scarless”* breast augmentation mean?
It is the name of Ms De Leo's minimal-incision approach to placing implants or performing fat transfer. It does not mean there is no scar: every incision leaves one. The aim is a small, carefully positioned scar that blends with your skin, and individual results vary.
When can I start silicone gel on my scars?
Usually once the incision is fully closed, with no scabs, stitches or open areas, which is often around two to three weeks after surgery. Applying silicone too early can irritate an unhealed wound. Ms De Leo or the team will confirm when your scars are ready.
Why is my scar redder at two months than at two weeks?
This is common. Between roughly six weeks and three months, scars go through an active remodelling phase and can look redder, firmer and more raised before they improve. Continue silicone, massage when advised and sun protection. If the scar keeps thickening or spreads beyond the incision, ask for a review.
Is capsular contracture a type of scarring?
Yes, in a sense. It is the internal capsule of scar tissue around the implant becoming thick and tight, rather than a visible skin scar. It can cause firmness, distortion or discomfort, sometimes months or years after surgery. It is not caused by your skin scar, and it needs examination by Ms De Leo if suspected.
Can a poor breast augmentation scar be improved?
Often, yes. Depending on the problem, options include steroid injections for raised scars, continued silicone and pressure, or surgical revision once the scar has matured, usually after a year or more. Ms De Leo will advise what is realistic for your scar.
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Patient guide published by ADLSynergy, which collaborates with Ms Anna De Leo; it does not replace a personal medical consultation. Surgery is performed by Ms Anna De Leo — every detail must be confirmed with her or via deleoanna.com. Results and recovery vary from person to person.

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