It is not uncommon to have some sensory changes after breast augmentation, especially if there is a larger implant. Most of the time, sensation does return, especially if placed below the muscle, therefore, one should wait 3-6 months for the sensation to return.
"I think the most important thing is to be patient," Dr. Bajaj says. "As humans, we want instantaneous results, and we want to look perfect the very next day, but recovery from any surgery will take six months to a year before you're completely back to normal and you feel like your breasts are fully a part of you."
4 to 6 weeks post-op
Usually, at this point, most patients have fully recovered and can resume regular activity. Your breasts should look and feel more natural. Patients are advised to make an appointment with their surgeon for a full evaluation of the breast implants.
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.
In general, implants may begin to settle as early as 2 weeks, as initial swelling subsides. Muscles will continue to relax over time. The entire process of implant settling may take anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months.
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.
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.
Your First Week after Augmentation
They will feel very firm, and your nipples will likely appear very low and point downwards. 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!
If you're unhappy with your breast implant, the first thing you must do is contact a board-certified and reputable plastic surgeon. Breast revision is an extremely delicate process, so you must contact a reputable plastic surgeon with a perfect track record to minimize your risk of complications.
Over time as the breast pocket stretches, your breasts implants will eventually soften, typically by 6 months after your surgery. Keep in mind, though, that every woman is different.
Of the 77% who said they were more partial to implants, these were the top 5 reasons: They are perkier and less droopy – 39% I consider them a status symbol – 32% I prefer how they feel when I touch them – 28%
The truth is that it also varies. Some men will say that they notice no difference, while others may claim that the implants feel a bit different and unnatural. There is no definitive answer when it comes to wondering if breast implants feel real for men or not.
Your breasts may “fluff” or appear fuller after explant surgery, as the breast tissue that was previously stretched by the implants may begin to reshape itself. This process, known as “fluffing,” can occur as the natural breast tissue begins to settle and fill out the space left by the removed implants.
The first is the amount of natural breast tissue and the second is the size of the implant. "If the natural base of the breast is small, and the implants are very much larger, then they will tend to look fake.
Performing Revision Surgery
This means that every revision surgery will be different. Repairing a capsular contracture will require a different technique from implant malposition or fixing changes due to pregnancy. If you experienced botched breast augmentation, talk to a plastic surgeon about revision surgery.
Breasts with implants can feel different to the touch than unaugmented breasts and although silicone breasts feel similar to real breasts, they are still manmade and may not feel like natural breast tissue particularly if you have very little breast tissue.
Breast implants may look more obvious on people who are naturally very thin with very little padding on the chest. Many people consider any type of implants to feel slightly harder than actual breast tissue. Certain implant sizes, placements, and types can seem more natural than others.
Silicone implants require a larger incision and cannot be adjusted after placement. On the other hand, silicone implants look and feel more natural, even when placed above the muscles of the chest, and are unlikely to ripple, wrinkle, bisect, or otherwise become aesthetically impacted.
Most women's breasts have 2 or 3 inches of space in the middle, but implants narrow the gap. “If it looks like her breasts are touching in the middle, they're likely fake.” If they're set too high on the chest, instead of around where the armpits are, they're probably implants.
An Improved Quality of Life
New research released this year shows that satisfactory breast augmentation results can lead to significant improvements in the patient's quality of life. This means a woman can experience a marked boost in her own confidence levels, self-esteem, and self-worth.
The risk of sensation loss depends on the approach to placing the implant. Cuts under the areola have a higher risk of numbness, incisions under the breast fold tend to not cause numbness to the same degree. Overall loss of sensation is not frequent. After you are healed, your nipples can be back to full function.
But for the average sized women with normal measurements, the C cup implants are between 300-400 cc. The 300 and 325 cc volumes can be thought of as small C cups. The 375 and 400 cc as large C cups. 350 cc might be considered a classic middle C cup implant.
If you have a small amount of breast tissue: It is more likely you will want to go behind the muscle. If the breads implant is in front of the muscle, you won't have enough breast tissue to cover the implant. That means that the roundness of the implant will be more visible.
After surgery, the implants tend to ride hide and appear small due to the patient's skin tightness in the area. There is tightness because the implants increase dimension to breast tissue causing the skin to compress the implant's shape and size.
Your surgical drains will stay in place for one to three weeks, or until the total daily fluid output measures less than 20-30 cc (cubic centimeters), or about 1½ tablespoons. You'll wear a surgical bra to help you heal. A surgical bra has no seams or wires and is worn all day and night to provide continual support.