The “Fluff” Process Even after your swelling subsides, your breasts may feel hard to the touch because the breast pocket – the “envelope” in which your breast implants are placed – has not yet stretched to accommodate the breast implants.
However, you may be concerned by your new breasts' first impression; they will likely rest high on your chest and feel hard to the touch. There's no need to be alarmed – this phenomenon is completely normal and expected.
A breast implant that is hard, painful, rippled and high riding is a sign of capsular contracture. Early capsular contracture (within 3 years of placement) can also be related to bleeding and low-grade infection around the implant.
Breast implant softening, also known as “fluffing,” can take anywhere from eight weeks to six months. If your breasts don't feel soft by the six-month mark, you should make an appointment to see your plastic surgeon at Cosmetic Surgery Associates. After your surgery, it's normal to experience swelling.
In most cases, breast implants will drop and fluff – whether gradually or more dramatically – over the course of three to six months after your procedure.
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.
Practicing breast massages will reduce the growth of scar tissue, allowing implants to remain soft and flexible.
Nothing is foolproof, but if you squeezed a woman's implants that hard, she would stop you as soon as the pain kicked in, meaning BEFORE the implants ruptured. That said, it is possible to rupture an implant.
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.
Massage: Gently massaging the breasts while they heal from breast augmentation surgery may help to prevent capsular contracture by encouraging the breast tissue to remain pliable.
Early signs of capsular contracture may include a firm or tight sensation, pain, or asymmetry. As the condition worsens, you may notice more obvious symptoms, including: Breast pain. Asymmetry.
A lack of implant drop and fluff, such as the lower breast seeming empty, could indicate that pocket has hardened and started to contract around the implant, which not only affects the appearance of your breasts but may also cause breast pain.
Morning stiffness is common.
During your recovery from breast augmentation surgery, morning stiffness is expected. However, once you begin to move around, the stiffness usually dissipates. This stiffness generally persists for 1 to 2 weeks after your breast augmentation procedure.
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.
Be sure that you apply pressure to all sides of the implant. Supporting your breast with one hand, use the other hand to make small, circular movements around the entire breast. You should work in a clockwise motion starting at the top pole. This will keep the implant loose and soft.
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.
According to Men's Health, the biggest tipoffs that men look for to determine if a woman has had breast augmentation surgery are based on sight alone. Indicators include the breasts being too close together, appearing abnormally large, or sitting too high on a woman's torso.
After swelling subsides, your breasts will begin to feel more like a natural part of your body. If your implants were placed under the muscle, they may take a few months to feel normal as they “drop and fluff.” Until then, they may feel unnaturally high on your chest and you may experience a sensation of tightness.
If your implants are in good shape—that is, the shell is not compromised due to age of the implant—the answer is probably no. Today's breast implants are extremely durable, and can withstand tremendous amounts of pressure before rupturing: about 175 pounds for saline, and up to 300 or so for silicone gel.
For the most part, patients will need to wait at least four to six weeks before they can switch to side sleeping. For some patients, it may be more like eight weeks.
Conversely, silicone implants are silicone shells filled with a cohesive silicone substance that mimics the feel of your natural breast tissue. They feel more like natural breasts to the touch.
Almost immediately following breast augmentation, you still might feel some tightness around your chest area. This is because the skin surrounding your breasts is adjusting to your new implants. This is normal and nothing to be concerned about. Tightness will fade gradually over time, slowly subsiding each day.
If you've had radiation therapy at any time in the past — and particularly if you had it after your initial breast reconstruction surgery — that can greatly increase your risk of developing capsular contracture.
Symptoms may include fatigue, joint pain, brain fog, dry eyes and many other health concerns. Healthcare providers diagnose BII by ruling out other health conditions. Breast implant illness treatment involves removing the implants. Many people see improvement in their symptoms soon after implant removal.