Back Lipo Scars & Incisions

Typically, back lipo scars are extremely small and fade with time.
Plastic surgeons are experts at hiding scars, and back lipo scars tend to be placed where they will be hidden by the bra or by underwear, depending on which parts of the back are treated.
Scars can require 12 months or more to fully fade and reach full maturation.
Every body is different, so the placement and final appearance of your scars may be different than what you were anticipating.

Does Back Liposuction Leave Scars?

All surgical procedures create scars, and back lipo is no exception. But plastic surgeons are experts at camouflaging and minimizing them. Further, scars fade in time and can become quite difficult to notice. To give yourself the best chance of discreet scars, choose an experienced plastic surgeon to perform your back lipo and then take good care of your incisions and scars after.

The scars created by liposuction are extremely small, usually no more than 5 mm, and often appear as dots rather than lines. You may have several of these dots. Each one corresponds to an entry point where the cannula that removes the fat was inserted. Several insertion points are often necessary to grant full access to the entire treatment area.

The number of scars you have will vary based on the scope of your procedure. If you have lipo on your upper or lower back only, you will have fewer scars than if you do your entire back.

Where Are Back Lipo Incisions Placed?

Just as the number of scars created by back lipo varies, so does their placement. When lipo is performed to sculpt the upper back and/or eliminate bra rolls, surgeons place the scars along the bra line in the natural crease of the back. This way, most bras and swimwear will hide them. Whenever possible, plastic surgeons place scars created by lower back and flank lipo low enough that most underwear and bathing suits will cover them.

What Do Back Lipo Scars Look Like Over Time?

After your back lipo, you will have small incisions. These incisions will close, leaving behind scars that will fade over time. Your personal biology and scar care will both impact the appearance of your scars at maturity, which is usually about 12 months after your procedure. Some people heal more quickly, however, and others need a bit more time. In general, you can expect the following:

  • Days 1–7 (Immediate Healing)
    • Incisions are fresh, red, or pink
    • Mild oozing is normal the first 24–48 hours
    • Swelling around incisions
    • Mild scab formation
  • Weeks 2–4 (Early Healing)
    • Incisions fully closed
    • Redness starts to soften
    • Scabs fall off naturally
    • Itching or tightness is common
    • Begin scar treatment with your surgeon’s OK
  • Months 1–3 (Active Remodeling Phase)
    • Scars fade to pink
    • May be slightly raised
    • Firm to the touch
    • Usually when scars look their worst
  • Months 3–6 (Flattening & Fading)
    • Color fades from pink to light pink to your skin tone
    • Texture smooths
    • Scars flatten significantly
    • Most patients are comfortable wearing swimsuits
    • Scars are visible, but only noticeable if you know where to look
  • Months 6–12 (Maturation Stage)
    • Scars continue fading
    • Final color sets
    • Very difficult to spot

Factors That Affect Back Lipo Scar Healing

Scar maturation doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Several factors can affect the way your scar matures. As such, different people can have different scars, even if they have the same procedure done by the same surgeon. Factors impacting scar appearance include:

  • Skin type and tone (darker skin is more prone to visible scars)
  • Genetic scarring tendencies
  • Amount of tension placed on your sutures
  • Surgical technique
  • Sun exposure (more sun means darker scars)
  • Smoking and nicotine use (nicotine slows healing and worsens scars)
  • Adherence to post-op instructions

How to Minimize Back Lipo Scars

You may not be able to completely prevent back lipo scars, but you can stack the odds in your favor when it comes to scar visibility. Choosing the right plastic surgeon and taking good care of yourself after your procedure are both vital for excellent results.

The Right Plastic Surgeon

We always encourage patients to choose experienced and skilled surgeons like those at Mia Aesthetics. This is because surgical technique matters, and an experienced surgeon will:

  • Use the smallest effective cannulas
  • Limit the number of incisions when possible
  • Place incisions with future scar concealment in mind

Post-Operative Scar Care

The quality of your surgeon’s work matters, but so does how well you care for your scars at home. You can help yourself by:

  • Keeping incisions clean during early healing
  • Using silicone scar treatments on fully closed incisions
  • Avoiding sun exposure on healing scars
  • Engaging in gentler scar massage techniques if and when recommended by your surgeon

When Back Lipo Scars May Need Additional Treatment

Even when doctor and patient both do everything right, sometimes the body just refuses to cooperate. It’s not the norm, but even with good care, scars can be raised, thick, hyperpigmented (dark), or quite red even when mature. In these cases, help is available. Patients who experience suboptimal scarring can pursue scar-reducing treatments, including:

  • Laser treatments
  • Steroid injections
  • Microneedling
  • Scar revision surgery

Most patients don’t need these interventions, but we want you to know that poor scar healing isn’t something you just need to accept. There are treatment options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Usually not. Different bras and swimsuits are cut and styled differently, however, so it is possible that some could fail to cover your scars. Generally, however, mature scars are either covered or faded and difficult to notice even when uncovered.

They can, yes. Variations across your back in skin thickness and the amount of movement during healing all matter. Certain movements place more tension on the sutures and skin as you move during healing, and tension is bad for scarring.

Yes. Back lipo scars can become raised or dark. They are most likely to do so if you have a history of keloid scars or hyperpigmentation at previous wound sites. Sometimes the body goes into overdrive and produces too much collagen during healing. This can also lead to raised scars. Post-op infections can also cause some pretty gnarly scars, so keep your incisions clean.

If you know you’re prone to problematic scarring, discuss your history with your plastic surgeon or surgical coordinator during your free virtual consultation. Our team can devise a prevention strategy for you, taking steps to help minimize the risk of scarring problems. Fortunately, the back is less prone to keloid scarring than other parts of the body.

They certainly won’t hurt! Scar abatement isn’t the primary goal of compression garments, but they do reduce swelling, which reduces tension on the wounds. And the less tension on the wound as you heal, the less likely you are to have poor scar maturation. So indirectly, yes, compression garments can help reduce scarring.

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