Breast augmentation scars: where they are and how they heal
Updated: 13 hours ago
Medical editor: Dr. Semih Yıldız, plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon (FEBOPRAS) · Last updated: October 2026
In most breast augmentations the scar is a short line in the fold under the breast, where the breast itself and a bra cover it. It looks pink and may feel firm for the first months, then gradually flattens and fades over about twelve months. Two other routes, around the areola and through the armpit, move the scar elsewhere but bring trade-offs of their own.
For breast augmentation in Istanbul, most implants are placed through the breast fold, and other approaches are discussed when they suit your anatomy. Below is how the routes compare, how the incision is positioned, and what helps a scar settle.
Three routes to the implant pocket
The breast fold
The incision lies in the crease where the lower breast meets the chest (the inframammary fold). It gives the surgeon a direct view of the whole pocket, which helps with precise placement and with controlling bleeding, and it avoids cutting through the breast tissue itself. Studies have linked this route with lower rates of capsular contracture than incisions through the breast tissue, possibly because the milk ducts, which naturally contain bacteria, are not crossed. If the implants ever need to be exchanged, the same scar can usually be reopened.
The scar is hidden when you stand, but can be seen when you lie back or raise your arms, especially if your breasts are small and the fold is shallow.
Around the areola
Here the incision follows the lower edge of the areola, the coloured skin around the nipple, where the change in colour can disguise it. The route is limited by the size of the areola, because a silicone implant needs enough room to pass, and it crosses breast tissue, which may affect nipple sensation and, in some women, breastfeeding. The scar lies on the most visible part of the breast, so if it heals poorly, it is harder to hide.
Through the armpit
This route leaves no scar on the breast; the scar sits in a natural crease of the armpit. The trade-offs are less direct control over the lower part of the pocket, often with special instruments, and a scar that can show with sleeveless tops or raised arms. A later operation is often done through a new incision on the breast.
Placing the incision in your new fold
A well-placed scar ends up exactly in the new breast fold. That fold is not always where it was before surgery: with some implants it is set slightly lower, so that the implant sits centred behind the nipple. The incision is therefore planned from the position of the new fold, usually marked while you stand, rather than from the old one.
If this planning goes wrong, the scar can end up on the lower part of the breast, where it shows, or on the chest wall below the fold. The length of the incision depends on the size and type of the implant. The Motiva Preserve technique uses a smaller incision with a more limited pocket, but it suits selected patients only. Dr. Semih Yıldız recommends the incision together with the implant and its position, because each of these choices affects the others.
How the scar changes over the first year
Weeks 1–2: the wound is closed with dissolvable stitches and looks like a thin line under a dressing or tape.
Weeks 3–6: the scar is pink and may feel slightly firm or itchy as it gains strength.
Months 2–4: many scars become redder or slightly raised for a while. This is a normal stage of healing, not a sign that something is wrong.
Months 6–12: the scar softens, flattens and pales towards your skin tone. By about twelve months most scars have matured into a fine, pale line.
In darker skin, a scar may stay brown or darker than the surrounding skin for longer; this also fades with time, only more slowly.
Scar care that makes a difference
Good scar care starts with the wound and continues for months after it has closed:
Keep it clean and dry as instructed until the wound has fully closed. Baths, pools and the sea wait until then.
Avoid tension. The surgical bra supports the breast and takes strain off the incision; avoid stretching movements and heavy lifting while the scar is young.
Use silicone. Once the wound has closed and your team agrees, silicone gel or sheets are the most widely recommended home treatment for scars. A thin layer of gel is usually applied twice a day for at least two to three months, and for longer while the scar is still red.
Protect it from the sun for the first year. UV light can leave a young scar permanently darker, so cover it or use a high-factor sunscreen.
Keep pressure off it. An underwire sits directly on a fold scar, so wait until you are cleared, usually not before six weeks.
Do not smoke. Nicotine narrows the small blood vessels a healing wound depends on.
Oils and vitamin E creams are popular, but there is little good evidence that they improve scars, and some irritate the skin. Massage of the scar may be suggested once it has healed; follow the advice you are given.
When a scar thickens
Some scars become thick, red and raised. A hypertrophic scar stays within the line of the incision and usually improves over months; a keloid grows beyond the original line and rarely settles on its own. The tendency is largely inherited and more common in darker skin, so tell your surgeon at the planning stage if you have had raised or keloid scars before, for example after a piercing.
Persistent thickening can be treated with steroid injections or laser, and a scar revision can be considered once the scar has matured, usually not before a year. Redness with warmth, discharge or a wound that opens is a different matter: it can mean infection and needs a prompt review.
Scars when more surgery is added
If your breasts need a lift as well, the scars change: depending on the degree of sagging, they run around the areola, down the breast or in an anchor shape, as explained on our breast lift with implants page. Fat transfer adds only a few tiny entry points, a few millimetres long, where the fat is taken. If implants are exchanged in the future, the fold scar is usually reopened, so no new scar is needed. Implant positions and the full recovery timeline are on our breast augmentation procedure page.
Frequently asked questions
Will my breast augmentation scar show in a bikini?
In most women a scar in the breast fold is covered by a bikini or bra, because it sits under the breast rather than on it. It may be seen when you lie on your back or lift your arms, especially with smaller breasts and a shallow fold. An armpit scar avoids the breast but may show in sleeveless clothes.
Can implants be inserted through the belly button?
This route, through the navel, is used only for saline implants, which are filled after they have been placed. Silicone implants are pre-filled and need an incision closer to the pocket, most often in the breast fold. Augmentation with silicone implants, as described on our procedure page, is therefore not done through the navel.
Does the incision affect breastfeeding or nipple sensation?
A fold or armpit incision does not cross the breast tissue or the milk ducts, so it is less likely to affect breastfeeding than an incision around the areola. Nipple sensation can change with any approach, because nerves are stretched or affected during surgery. This usually improves over months, although a lasting change is possible.
If you would like to know which incision suits your breasts, or you have a scar you are unsure about, you can send photos for a free online assessment.
This article provides general information and does not replace a medical consultation. Results vary from person to person.
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