BREASTENHANCEMENTMD.COM GREATBREASTS.NET Breast Enhancement: The Importance of Massaging after Breast Augmentation

Thursday, March 22, 2007

The Importance of Massaging after Breast Augmentation

Your first post-op visit not only entails removal of your sutures but we will also show you the massage technique to help you get your implants settled in your pocket. On the average, most of the settling will take place during the first 3-6 months, however, keep in mind that each individual is different. Sometimes, it can take up to 1 year for implants to finally settle down.

Let's revisit why the implants sit high in the first place. They are placed behind the pectoralis muscle (chest muscle). Basically the implants are trying to stretch the muscle out but the muscle is reluctant to give right away. So, the implants sit high and the manual manipulation (through massage) of the implants will allow the implants to stretch the pocket out and lengthen the muscle. You have to massage continually-whenever you think about it if you want to let those implants drop sooner than later. The look of an implant sitting high is really humpy and odd looking at first. At this point, also keep in mind that the implants will not reflect an accurate size-i.e. they may look smaller than they actually are because the muscle has not fully stretched out. So, please be patient and keep massaging. Also, keep in mind that this is only temporary-the frequency of massaging will help you to achieve a much more natural look much more quickly. Remember that with the textured implants you just need to massage until the implants have dropped-the smooth implants need to be always massaged. (see prior blogs). You also want to avoid wearing wire push-up bras for 1 year after surgery because as you are trying to get the implants settled in their respective pockets, the wire push-up bras are doing the opposite, i.e. pushing the implants back up. And, honestly, you don't need those anymore.

Sometimes, due to muscle dynamics, one side may settle faster than the other. Then you have to be more aggressive with the side that is lagging behind. There is a chance (1-3%) that the implants may never settle despite all the massaging in the world. This is typically due to scar tissue formation that is forming faster than the implant being able to settle in the pocket. It's called a capsular contracture. The body generates scar tissue as a response to trauma no matter what (trauma is your actual surgery). Some patients develop scar tissue faster than others-we have seen smokers in our practice with a higher rate of scar tissue formatiuon than non-smokers. When you do have a capsular contracture, Dr. Bednar will have to go back in and clean the scar tissue out which will allow the implant to drop. The recovery time is typically 1-2 days.

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