Scar tissue 5-6 weeks after surgery

[49er]

Hi,  I had surgery 6 weeks ago.  I wore the compression vest for 5 weeks (Doctor said 4 weeks, though the longer the better).  I've recently felt a bit of hardness around my right nipple.  It is below the nipple, around the scar area.  It is not all around the nipple.  I am wondering if this is scar tissue.  I only noticed it in last couple of days.  Maybe it was there longer but I had the vest on all the time and would never have noticed if it was.  I'm thinking my chest sticks out a bit more than it did on the 5th week immediately after I took off the vest. If it does it is only a little though.  Maybe that's normal though as my chest has been uncompressed for a week.  Maybe I should put the compression vest on for another few weeks to help?

Would it be normal for scar tissue to appear 5-6 weeks after surgery.  What is it likely to do now if it is scar tissue?  Could it expand for another few weeks?  Can it take 3-6 months for scar tissue to disappear?

Thanks

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Scar tissue is the normal way in which the body heals.  The extent of it varies from one side to the other and in various individuals.  Usually it starts around 3-4 weeks after surgery (although I have seen it sooner) and can build to some degree over the first 10 weeks or so.  Oftentimes there can be residual swelling from the surgery mixed with the scar tissue -- so it can look worse.  Also, sleeping on one side more than he other can predispose to asymmetric swelling.

It is only 5 weeks after surgery.  You have a very long healing period to go.  Be patient.  Wear the compression garments as much as possible -- even after the 4 weeks.  It can only help -- it cannot hurt.

Dr Jacobs

[49er]

Thanks for your quick answer.  As well as reducing swelling, does the compression garment help reduce the build-up of the scar tissue underneath?  It can take 6 months to be fully healed and show final results.  Does this also mean that the scar tissue underneath should be reduced or gone in that time?

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

The compression garment helps with swelling -- not with scar tissue.

As for scar tissue, there is always some scar tissue -- even years after surgery. That is the normal way the body heals.  But it should have reached its final status by about six months after surgery.

Dr Jacobs