It's important to note that, since every woman's body is unique, there is no exact timeline for recovery. However, most surgeons agree that a full recovery can take on average six weeks or so, and women may notice that they feel perfectly fine after about a week.
With this, your muscles should begin to relax, allowing your implants to gradually settle and soften. The entire drop and fluff process can take three to six months to complete, however, so don't worry if your implants still feel tight or look a bit high even after most of the swelling has dissipated.
Over time, your breast tissue will soften and make the implants look and feel normal. In rare cases, the breasts may not heal together. One may feel softer than the other. If this continues six months after the procedure, visit your plastic surgeon.
When you first wake up from your breast implants surgery, your new breasts will likely be high up on your chest and feel hard to the touch. Don't be alarmed; this is completely normal, and your newly augmented breasts will eventually settle and soften, typically within 6 months. Read on as Dr.
Postoperative swelling can intensify particularly around the 3-5 day mark, potentially amplifying the feeling of pressure on your chest. Typically, you're likely to feel discomfort after breast augmentation surgery for the first couple of weeks but feelings of stiffness can occur for a month or so.
Your First Week after Augmentation
You will see very little side or bottom rounding of the breasts, often looking square, with little outward projection and minimal bottom fullness. Have no fear! This is all normal.
Capsular Contracture: Heavy activity before you have healed enough from breast augmentation can cause capsular contracture, an uncomfortable condition that can only be corrected with surgery.
This capsule, made of primarily of collagen, can contain some scar tissue which, over time, may harden and squeeze the implant. This condition, known as capsular contracture, can produce discomfort and can alter the appearance of your breasts.
There's no need to be alarmed – this phenomenon is completely normal and expected. Over time, your breast implants will gradually soften and settle, looking and feeling more like your natural breast tissue.
Placing the implant below the muscle does typically make the implant look slightly smaller as the muscle will give the implant a touch more of a natural slope. It also compresses the implant, which makes the breast look slightly smaller.
Over time, the swelling resolves, the tissues loosen up, and the shape of the implant starts to exert itself on the overlying tissues. As a result, the implants settle into a lower, more aesthetically pleasing position on the chest. They appear softer and rounder, and they look larger and closer together.
The type and size of the implant can affect the drop and fluff timeline. The exact process occurs with round and teardrop-shaped implants, but larger implants may drop slightly faster.
You'll notice the first signs of implant drop after a few days, and this process can be moved along by using a breast band and massaging your implants to promote faster dropping. (Silicone gels and sheeting may minimize your scarring as well.)
Some of my Montreal breast augmentation patients complain about stomach bloating after surgery. However, it is important to remember that it is generally not harmful. Maximum swelling usually occurs 3-5 days after your surgery and it will generally go away completely in two weeks and even as early as 5 to 7 days.
When a foreign object is inserted into the body, our immune system forms a thin film around it to protect the body, forming a capsule. A capsular contracture happens when the body forms scar tissue along this capsule, causing it to contract, which makes the implants look and feel hardened.
Practicing breast massages will reduce the growth of scar tissue, allowing implants to remain soft and flexible.
Once you have clearance from your surgeon, we recommend massaging your breasts two to three times a day for the first couple of months. Complete this practice for about five minutes each time. After the first two months, massage your breasts five minutes once a day, or as often as recommended by Dr. Smart.
Sleeping on your back keeps your breasts in the best possible position for healing. In fact, Dr. Kirby recommends her Fort Worth breast augmentation, breast lift, and breast reduction patients sleep on their backs for at least 8 to 12 weeks after surgery.
The reality is, it still happened regardless of what you do, and massaging the breast too much can make the pocket so large that the implants fall into the arm pit. Furthermore, excess massaging may increase the risk of capsular contracture by causing micro tears in the soft capsule.
Avoid chest and shoulder exercises, lifting weights or any other exercise that puts pressure on your chest or back. In most cases, patients will be healed and able to resume all forms of exercise – including heavy cardio – within six weeks.
How tight should my bra be after breast augmentation? The ideal fit for a post-surgery bra should be snug but not tight. The best indicator that your bra fits correctly is that it's comfortable, and although you might feel some pressure, this isn't excessive or painful.
Fluid retention – It is common to retain fluids after surgery due to the stress associated with your procedure and the consumption of prescription medications during recovery. This fluid retention is often responsible for the majority of the weight you gain.
6 weeks after breast augmentation
Nipples are rising slowly to the center of the breasts. They may not be perfect at this stage, but should have good improvement. One breast could still appear higher than the other. Asymmetry is normal.
Real breasts are shaped more like pears — fuller at the bottom — than like melons. Many implants have an even distribution of silicon. There are typically four places that plastic surgeons use for access. Scars can be seen above the belly button, under the breasts, around the nipples or the armpits.
3–4 weeks after surgery
After about 3–4 weeks, a person should no longer feel much pain or discomfort. The swelling and bruising should begin to go away. Many people can return to normal activities, including potentially light exercise. They will likely need to avoid more strenuous activities during this time.