Hello all
I had a wide local excision and SNB just over a week ago for IDC. My lump on mammo and ultrasound is 8mm. As it was near to the nipple I had to lose the nipple as well. I know they have to make incision larger to do what they have to do and to hopefully get clear margins but today my BCN said I could remove the dressing and strips. I did this after soaking in the bath and no problem.
it took me a few hours to pluck up courage to look at the scar. It looks clean and ok but was has shocked me is the size of the scar. From end to end it is 4 inches. I know some of the bits each end is possibly some skin folds where they stitched me together but I am shocked at how large the scar is for a small lump, even including the nipple.
I have yet yet to get results and hopefully it could be tomorrow but of course I am now worrying that they found something larger and had to make a larger incision. I had been expecting some smaller, maybe about 2 inches.
Has anyone else experienced such a large scar for what I had done or is this normal and I just didn’t know. I’m wondering as they took the nipple it was a larger incision, but it still seems a lot larger than I had assumed.
Thank you all and love and hugs xxx
Frances333
Bear in mind that the scar is really new and I promise it will settle down and fade. I didnt have mine where you had yours, mine was more at the top of the breast and it now just looks like a crease, a very thin line. I am 11 months past surgery.
Helena xxx
Frances333 the scar will shrink, honest! I thought mine looked about 4 inches long initially too, which seemed rather a lot for a 1.4 cm lump plus margins, but now it seems much shorter, and very very faint now after 9 months or so. Likewise the lymph node scar looked rather ragged and angry for a while but now is almost impossible to see unless I try hard to find it. It is early days and you will be surprised at how things look once you’ve healed up. I used bio oil on my scar after a month or so on the advice of a friend who had major scars following a leg operation and I think it does live up to its hype - one third off at S…drug at the moment too!.
All the best for your ongoing recovery. xxxxxxx
Hi I know this is quite an older thread bit just wanted to ask if anyone had hard lump after their op? My WLE scar is healing well and i am using bio oil etc on there and the snb scar under my arm. It’s been just over 6 week since my op and k have noticed a hard large marble size lump on the surgery site roughly where the cancer was. Is this normal or should it all be soft by now? J rang the bcn but as usual was fobbed off with" if it gets bigger or more painful ring us next week ".
I too was shocked by the size of my scar and 3 weeks post op still find it hard to look at it without getting upset… the nerve pain is the thing that is giving me so much grief! The other replies sound encouraging though as to how it shrinks and disappears so take some comfort in that… I am! Xxx
Hi Frances333
My scar is about 8-9 inches long and is still bruised at one edge after 6 weeks. LadyBowler told me that it does take time to heal and the scar will fade. They had to reposition my nipple and I woke up from surgery with numbers written on each boob where the surgeon had done his measurements 
They make a fairly large incision so that they get good margins so its pretty normal to have a sizable scar on occassions.
Good luck x
Hi
Had wide local excision a week ago. My surgeon used water proof dressing so have been able to shower as normal. A real relief during the recent hot weather. Taking the dressing off made things a lot more comfortable. I felt able to look immediately, my husband had to look to reassure himself that the wound looked OK.
The incision is neat about three inches long top of left breast. Removal of lymph nodes incision under arm is a little more angry, brushing deeper and not as well healed but getting there. Doing exercises, movement getting better each day. Apponitment next week for results and treatment plan.
Hello all, I had a WLE with nipple removed six weeks ago, I’m due to start my radiotherapy in 15 days. I have a well healed scar (beautiful job) with a small patch at the juncture of the three scars that is taking time to heal. I’m also still very bruised from operation and two subsequent needle aspirations. Will the bruising delay my radiotherapy?
Warm wishes to you all x