Breast augmentation is one of the most common plastic surgery procedures performed in the United States and also one of the most euphoric cosmetic procedures due to the instantaneous results. In one hour of surgery, an immediate increase in breast size is achieved. Despite the successful nature of breast augmentation surgery and the immediate results, there are an expected number of temporary events after surgery that patients have to tolerate before truly having the final result.
Swelling of the breasts after surgery always occurs. What can be confusing for patients is that the swelling does not occur immediately. The first day after surgery some swelling is present but it takes two to three days to see the maximal swelling of the breasts. They will continue to get larger and tighter for the first few days before they start to go down.
Because of the combination of swelling and the immediate and dramatic expansion of the skin, the breasts will feel abnormally stiff and tight. They will feel like ‘two’ rocks’ sitting on your chest. They will have that feeling for several weeks until the swelling goes down and the skin starts to relax and get used to the implants underneath. It usually takes about 4 to 6 weeks until the breasts relax enough to feel more normal.
It is also common for some patients to hear fluids or something swishing around inside during the first week after surgery. In the case of saline breast implants, in particular, this is not the implant deflating or water running out of it. It exists for both saline and silicone gel implants. Rather it is the irrigation or fluid that your surgeon used to wash out the breast pocket prior to inserting the implants. This fluid will be absorbed naturally in a week or so and that feeling or sound will go away.
Numbness of the skin, particularly on the lower half of the breast, will occur and may be present for a long time. This is because this skin is lifted up the most of any part of the breast during the surgery and the tiny skin nerves get disrupted. Most patients will get back the feeling back on this part of the breast but not all patients will get all of the feeling completely back.
While the risk of losing feeling in the nipple permanently is one of the risks of breast augmentation surgery, it is not common. However, temporary changes in nipple sensation right after surgery is. Usually it is too much feeling or hypersensitivity that occurs. This will settle down and return to normal in a few weeks. Less commonly, the nipple may actually be numb for awhile but returns to normal in a month or so after surgery.
Finally, the final size and shape of the breast can not be fully realized until about 6 weeks after surgery. The breast implants may initially seem too high but will usually settle as the skin relaxes. Don’t be too critical of the breast shape and symmetry between the breasts for some time after surgery. While the change in breast size is immediate, the final shape and contour of the breasts take some time to be realized.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana