Swelling and recovery after breast augmentation

Swelling after breast implant surgery is known as edema. Edema may persist in the acute setting for two to four weeks, and mildly in the chronic setting for up to 6 months. 

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Certain things happen dynamically after breast augmentation. Of course, there is swelling and bruising that causes the breasts to be larger. The hemoglobin pigment is hydrophilic so whenever there is bruising, there is some fluid retention. However, the tissue also might be tighter since they are being stretched by the volume of the implant. It takes a while for the tissues to accommodate the implant. This can make the breasts look smaller until the implant effect the size and shape of the tissue maximally.

Because of these two opping forces, I would advise not looking at or examining the breasts too closely for at least a couple of weeks or even longer.

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It is important to remember that bra cup sizes vary between different bra manufacturers. What fits 34C in Cosabella, may be too tight or a bit loose in a comparable Victoria Secret bra. The swelling will go down, but it usually takes at least one month...and frequently longer. I recommend that my patients wear a snug fitting sports bra for the first four weeks after surgery to provide both compression and support. In the mean time, have a few different size bras available.

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