A couple weeks after your breast augmentation surgery, you may notice some vertical bands running down your chest from the incisions under your breast. Called Mondor’s Cord, this is an inflammation of the blood vessels that were cut during surgery.
What causes mondor’s cord?
When your doctor makes an incision in your breast crease, they will have to cut several veins, which are then cauterized to stop any bleeding. Since they are cauterized, blood can no longer flow through them, but the remaining blood clots, causing the veins to inflame and visibly stand out on the skin. Usually they appear a couple weeks after breast implant surgery. While they commonly extend from the bottom of the breast into the chest area, sometimes they can extend down into the abdominal area or extend from the armpit area to the elbow.
Can mondor’s cord affect your breast implants?
Unlike blood clots in legs that can be fatal, these clots pose no harm to your body and are merely a temporary cosmetic change. Mondor’s Cord heals on its own over the course of a couple weeks to a couple months. You will gradually notice that the bands are disappearing, and eventually they will not be noticeable at all. Mondor’s Cord causes no permanent damage to your body or your breast implants.
Most Mondor’s Cord cases do not cause any physical pain, but consult with your doctor if you do feel any discomfort. They may suggest Ibuprofen and warm compresses as part of the healing process.
Here's a look at what Mondor's Cord looks like at two, three and 12 weeks after surgery:
Mondor's Cord at two weeks after surgery
Mondor's Cord at three weeks after surgery
Mondor's Cord at 12 weeks after surgery
Images courtesy of epsteinplasticsurgery.com.
Updated August 2016
