Having breast surgery is enough of an emotional experience without also having to worry how your body will look afterward. Surgeons at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital strive for the best outcome with every operation, and they are specially trained to provide the most aesthetically pleasing results possible, says Dr. Stephanie Schnepp. She and her fellow SSM breast surgeons are certified in Hidden Scar surgery, which uses incisions in places where the skin can heal unobtrusively. In fact, SSM is the first health system in the area to ensure that all of its breast surgeons have such training.
While successfully removing the benign or cancerous growth is always priority No. 1, Schnepp says Hidden Scar techniques also allow surgeons to achieve cosmetic results not possible in the past. “Depending on the location of the tumor, we can use incisions under the fold of the breast or along the edge of the areola where the skin changes color,” she explains. “Hidden Scar uses surgical tools and devices that help us see into the tissue better and achieve more visually pleasing outcomes than older methods.”
Schnepp says many patients have heard about a mother’s or grandmother’s past surgery and assume a lumpectomy or mastectomy will produce highly unsightly results. She and her colleagues are pleased to be able to explain how much breast surgery has evolved in recent years. “We make incisions that spare the nipple and skin as much as possible,” she says. “We are doing the right thing for the patient medically but in a way that looks much more natural.”
Hidden Scar isn’t appropriate for every case of breast cancer, but it does work well for many women, Schnepp notes. SSM breast surgeons are eager to educate the public about it, which is a major reason all of them have become certified in the technique. “It incorporates some methods we’ve been using for a while, but we thought it was important for all of us to have the training so we can show we are committed to it,” Schnepp says. “We want patients to know we are interested in giving them the best medical outcomes in a way that satisfies all of their needs.”
Schnepp says many women are surprised how minimal their scars are after surgery. “I’ve had patients tell me that when they had a mammogram later, even the technician had a hard time locating the incisions,” she notes. “We like hearing that.”
She says patients never should feel self-conscious asking how their bodies will look after surgery. “Some are afraid they will sound shallow if they express those concerns,” Schnepp says. “But they shouldn’t hesitate to ask. It’s an important question, and if you know your surgeon already is thinking about it, it’s much easier to bring up.”
She adds, “At SSM, our goal is for each patient to have a long, happy life and be confident in herself. We want to be sure that when she gets dressed each day, she doesn’t have to be reminded that she had breast cancer.”
SSM Health provides comprehensive, compassionate health care for women. Pictured on the cover: SSM breast surgeons Dr. Stephanie Schnepp, Dr. Andrea Behr and Dr. Aislinn Vaughan. For more information, call 314.768.8050 or visit ssmhealth.com/womens-health/breast-health.
Cover design | Allie Bronsky
Cover photo | Bill Barrett
Pictured above: SSM Health breast surgeon Dr. Stephanie Schnepp.
