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Waiting Time for Breast Augmentation After Breast Feeding

asked 1 year ago by San Diego9999 in San Diego, CA
Latest answer by Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Question viewed 497 times
Tags: breast feeding, wait

I stopped breastfeeding my daughter at 14 months of age and was wondering how long after cessation of breastfeeding can I get a breast augmentation (nipple incision). I was almost dried up when I stopped and just had literally 2 small drops leaking out a few days later. I am pretty sure that now, at 1 month after, that I am not producing milk but I know that breast milk is not sterile and I want to lower the risk of complications. What is the recommended wait time - it seems to vary a lot. Thx

18 answers to Waiting Time for Breast Augmentation After Breast Feeding

Breast Augmentation after Breast Feeding. When is it safe ?

Hello and thank you for the question. Regarding your inquiry, you are dealing with two issues that need to be addressed. The first is that your breast must reach a "steady state" following its involution that will occur with the cessation of breast feeding. This is important because you want your breast size to be stable before undergoing a breast augmentation in order to maximize the chance of best aesthetic results. The amount of time will vary from woman to woman.... more

Glenn Vallecillos, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

www.BeverlyHillsCosmeticSurgeon.com

Breast Augmentation Should Wait At Least Three Months After Breast Feeding

Considering going through the nipple approach for breast augmentation makes it really important that your milk is dry. This should be confirmed by a squeeze test in which no milk comes out even if the entire breast and the nipple is compressed. That is important because that is exactly what will happen to the breasts during surgery, the glands will become compressed and if any milk is present it will come out. This is less important with other incision locations where the nipple can be... more

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD
Indianapolis Plastic Surgeon

Wait 3 months after breastfeeding

The important factors to know are that you are completely finished lactating, and that your breast size is no longer changing so you can pick the right size implant. Just as important is that you will have help during your recovery since you have a young child to take care of.

Richard Baxter, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Breast feeding and augmentation

Maniplulation of the breast at surgery can cause the breast to produce milk so you want the breast to be in a dormant state. If you are using a nipple incision this is criitical becasue of the breast tissue that gets divided. Three months is generally a safe time period to consider breast implants after nursing. Best Wishes Dr. Peterson

Marcus L. Peterson, MD
Saint George Plastic Surgeon

Wait time for breast augmentation after breast feeding

Great question. A few things to address here. First, you want to consider a breast augmentation about 2-3 months or more after you've stopped breast feeding. You want to wait until the breast has fully involuted. The breasts do decrease in size after you stop breast feeding. You don't want to proceed with a breast augmentation while this process is continuing. Also, you may experience some sagging in addition to volume loss after pregnancy. ... more

C. Bob Basu, MD
Houston Plastic Surgeon

Breast augmentation after nursing.

It is reasonable to say 6 months after you are done breast feeding it is OK to have a breast augmentation.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Breast Augmentation After Breast feeding

There are two issues here: 1) The breasts need to stop producing milk prior to any breast implant surgery, especially when using a periareolar incision. There is no set time to wait but I would recommend waiting at least 3 months with no milk production. 2) With pregnancy and breast feeding the breasts increase in size. Once you stop breast feeding, the breasts will slowly decrease in size. At one month after stopping breast feeds, your breasts may not be down to their baseline... more

Babak Dadvand, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Augmentation following breast feeding

It depends on how quickly your breasts involute (shrink) following the end of breast feeding. Almost all women experience a shrinking after stopping breast feeding and in most women this is completed in 6 months. Wait at least 2 months after your breasts have stabilized

Jack Peterson, MD
Topeka Plastic Surgeon

Wait six months after breast feeding for augmentation

We like individuals to wait for six months after they stop breast feeding before implants. If you like your breast size during you can see a plastic surgeon ahead or prepare photos so you can get a fix on the cup size desired. Any stimulation of the breast, including surgery can induce a prolactin release so it is best to let things quiet down for certain before proceeding. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

www.peterejohnsonmd.com

Waiting Time for Breast Augmentation After Breast Feeding

Great question as you can see from all the answers from the expert posters. I recommend at a minimum 3 months but personally wait 6 months for best safety. From MIAMI Dr. Darryl j. Blinski

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Breast feeding and breast surgery

There are a few issues that need to be considered here. The first is enlargement of the breast with stretching of the skin and the second is the production of milk by the breast around the time of pregnancy . How do these affect breast surgery (augmentation and reduction) and what happens if you do the surgery too soon after stopping breast feeding? I would say it takes about 6 months after the breast have shrunk back down to their new size just to ensure that the skin has returned... more

Aaron Stone, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Breast augmentation after breast feeding

If you are considering breast augmentation, you shoudl wait several months for the breasts to involute and "go back to normal" so that a fair assessment of what you need can be determined.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Implants after breast feeding

There is no set time for how long one must wait to have implants after breast feeding. The important thing is that the breast milk is dry. After that, you may proceed when you are healthy, and there are no contraindications. sek

Scott E. Kasden, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Breast Augmentation after Breast Feeding

Please consider waiting 3 months after breast feeding so that involution is complete. Then your Doctor can best assess the post-pregnancy changes of the breast in order to plan optimal procedures for your enhancement and/or lift. It is a good idea to consult with the plastic surgeon while breast feeding to help the Doctor pre-plan your size preferences.

H. Michael Roark, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Waiting after breast feeding for 3 months

After breast feeding you should wait at least three months before undergoing breast surgery. First reason is that the breast volume will change and thus you don't want to come back later and feel the need for implant exchange because your breasts lost volume. Second reason is that as the breasts change after breast feeding, you may find that adding a breast lift will be useful. Finally, while lactating the milk discharge from nipples can cause contamination and... more

Martin Jugenburg, MD
Toronto Plastic Surgeon

www.torontosurgery.ca

Breast Augmentation After Breastfeeding

After a woman has stopped breastfeeding, I generally have them wait three months before a breast augmentation. This gives the breasts time to stop milk production and revert back to their pre-hormonal size/shape. If it is performed too early, the breasts may still be swollen and you do not have an accurate idea of the end result since they are still changing. There are some women who require a longer waiting period, but three months is the average. I hope this helps. more

Christopher V. Pelletiere, MD
Barrington Plastic Surgeon

Breast Augmentation after Breast Feeding

It is my recommendation that you wait several months for the breast and hormones to settle. If you have the surgery while the breasts are still engorged, then when the tissue settles that result will not be as nice. Good Luck.

David Shafer, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

www.ShaferPlasticSurgery.com

Waiting time after breast feeding for breast implants

There are a few things that go into the timing of breast implant surgery after breast feeding Your breast size and shape should be stable and not changing You should have stopped producing breast milk An incision through the armpit or in the breast crease does not involve cutting through breast tissue so any remaining breast milk is less of a concern, especially if the implant is being placed under the muscle. An incision below the nipple may require cutting through... more