scar tissue / cortisone injections

[webster]

Well I am 8 months post op. Happy with RHS of chest, but LHS not flat - mainly around nipple area.

So my surgeon did a little liposuction revision just on that side. But he felt the tissue under the nipple was mainly scar tissue not fat or gland.

After the revision my LHS really swelled up. . Now around a month later it has settled down to pretty much how it was before the lipo.

I feel pretty despondent about this. I can live with my chest much better than before any surgery but I can't say I feel free of gynecomastia because of my pesky LHS t*t! Which liposuction apparently can't cure and if anything just aggravated the lumps of scar tissue under the nipple.

I notice some threads of people in USA getting injections of cortisone (I think) to reduce scar tissue.

Has anybody any info on this? Thanks.
Webster.

[orrible]

Webster disappointed to hear that your revision hasnt cured the problem. Cortisone seems more commonly used in the states. Apparently it helps dissolve or break up the scar tissue. I have read of one uk person who had Mr Levick do that, im sure. Have you told him your still concerned and what are your plans from this point onwards? Did you have to wear the compression banadge again afterwards and have to go under general?

[webster]

Stonecold - I haven't told him. Will phone in next few days. Been too busy.   I did wear a compression vest for maybe a week, although Mr L said it wasn't nessecary. The bruising and swelling was alot worse than the first time! And it was only a 5 minute lipo session.

Started going swimming again and that seems to flatten my chest good for a few hours after.
I'm sure Mr L would advise that I just need to give things time. And hopefully the scar tissue will subside in time but I will ask about cortisone because as you say I do remember somebody posted that he gave them some. With what result I can't recall....

ATB.   Webster.    

[uk2000]

yo dude, i got shit loads of scar tissue on my left side.  my surgeon karidis said he didnt want to give cortisone and he said it causes alot of problems if it doesnt go right.
he said the liposuction he does with the micro power air cannule, breaks up scar tissue and can suck it out the same time as lipo of fat.  im seeing him again later on this year to get a slight revision done to tidy my chest up and get rid of scar tissue

i have really hard solid scar tissue at the botton of my left pec which wont budge, and it distrorts the shape of my chest.

[webster]

uk2000, i remember reading your posts b4 and thinking you had a rough ride... are you saying the lumps of scar tissue have got no smaller in recent months? In any case I hope what looks like your 4th surgery leads to resolution. It seems you are a reluctant champion of this game dude. Respect.

My LHS chest still feels slightly sore 4 weeks after revision. I hope that the scar tissue is still 'in play' and could shrink. Oddly vigorous massage seems to make it swell worse. The best thing I find is the gym or swimming which does flatten my chest real good  for a few hours... so I'm going ask my PS if cortisone might help me and do alot of swimming and cross my fingers that things will be OK by the summer..
Webster.

[uk2000]

webster, yea this is going to be my 4th surgery.  every surgery ive had, ive never had enuff removed.  on my RHS i have hardly no scar tissue wot so ever and it looks good.  LHS is real bad.  no the scar tissue has not really gotton any smaller,  when i last went to see karidis i asked him for cortisone, he said he would only do it as a last resort, cos he said its can caue thinning and lightning of the skin, and also damage tissue.   since i have a bit of fat and mayb gland on my lhs where the scar tissue is,  he said hes method of lipo can further break up scar tissue.
ive come this fat with my chest and im sure this next op will def give me the chest i want.  i am also training good in the gym at moment which also is helping my chest

[webster]

Uk2000, Good for you. If you have a competent PS you should be able to end up with the chest you want..
and I take it you still have faith in Alex Karidis.

Anyway please let me know what happens with your 4th attempt. Is Mr karadis doing the revisions 4 free? And is he still treating you with interest & enthusiasm?
(Hope so)
Webster

P.S. For the benefit of any gyne victims reading this post before surgery I would like to clarify that the scar tissue problem I have got (and others) is not external scarring of the skin. It is internal subcutaneous scar tissue. I do not have any noticable external scars from the first op or revision. If I had visible external scarring I would consider I my surgeon had done a poor job cosmetically. But that is not the case. I believe internal scar tissue formation is more of an unfortunate but unavoidable result of surgery that happens in a significant portion of cases depending on many factors. Whatever, I hope to beat mine someday soon.
The journey continues.

[uk2000]

well put it this way, Dr. Karidis said if im not happy with it neither is he.  he said he gurantees his work.  he does not charge for revision, but i have to pay hospiital fees about £960.  but this time round im gna insist i dont pay as im coming in again for it.

[geg100]

i would wait to the end for steroid injections-hydro cortisone or triamcinolone which levick uses.it can cause loads of problems so should be used as last resort.
webster i have lots of scar still in both sides so make me look like i still got gyno on both side.i can get the injections myself but i know what it will do if it goes wrong and thats why im waiting.otherwise i would be the first to get it-and i would do it myself!

[phantom]

Are you a doc (out of interest) geg100?

[webster]

yo geg,
what exactly are the potential problems of cortisone / triamcinolone? Have U discussed this with Mr L?

How long would you be prepared to wait for scar tissue to go then b4 having the shots?

Also what is kenalog - some similar steroid?. There are some threads on main gynecomastia talk board that seems to suggest it is good gear.

Thanks for any info. Webster.

[Taz]

I had large hypertrophic scars (very thick and keloid looking) that 2 years post op were just as large and red as 2 weeks post op.

Levick injected some kind of cortisone based liquid into them, and within 5 days, they were completely flat. They are still red in apppearance but very flat.

No idea about injections in the actual breast area. I think I still havea bit left but I'm trying hard to lose weight.

I want to be lean to see whether my lumps and bumps are fat or scar.

[webster]

Taz, thanks for that. I remeber reading some of your posts a year ago and am v.pleased that you have good progress.

I'm afraid I am not an expert on scars (yet) so I don't know the diff between keloid and hypertrophic. Isn't this some sort of classification of external skin scarring?

Anyway I am interested that Mr L gave you these shots and they worked. Did you have to ask or did he offer spontaneously?
Also were they lots of little injections all around the scarring?
ATB Webster.

[geg100]

yo geg,
what exactly are the potential problems of cortisone / triamcinolone? Have U discussed this with Mr L?

How long would you be prepared to wait for scar tissue to go then b4 having the shots?

Also what is kenalog - some similar steroid?. There are some threads on main gynecomastia talk board that seems to suggest it is good gear.

Thanks for any info. Webster.

hi phantom i am a doctor by classification but a dentist so mouth doc but we have the same training as medical doc,so all the theory is the same.my dad is also a breast specialist surgeon -specialising in reconstruction surgery.

kenalog is

[geg100]

a triamcinolone intramuscular steroid.it can be used intralesionally as well .there is also cortico steroid.just do a google and you can see the side effects.