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Breast Augmentation 2 Years Ago - Started Feeling Tight a Week Ago

asked 1 year ago by Toronto2400 in Toronto, ON
Latest answer by Scott L. Replogle, MD
Question viewed 524 times
Tags: tightness

I had a breast augmentation 2 years ago. In the last week my left breast has felt tight. No pain, no change in shape, nothing out of the ordinary. It just feels tight. I had gone two years without even noticing I had breast implants (they became a part of me) but now I can "feel" the left one. What could it be?

22 answers to Breast Augmentation 2 Years Ago - Started Feeling Tight a Week Ago

Breast Massage

It sure sounds like you may be developing an early capsular contracture around the left breast implant. All patients develop a capsule around their implants, but a few can develop a tighter contracture around their implants. The best treatment for now is restarting a more vigorous massage of your implant four times a day(one minute per time). Take your hand and start massaging your implant inwards, outwards, up, and down in an effort to "loosen it up"... more

Michael Vincent, MD
Rockville Plastic Surgeon

Breast Starting to Feel Tight

Your story sounds like a beginning capsule contracture, a tightening of the tissue around the breast implant. See your Plastic Surgeon as soon as possible to see if the process can be halted or improved.

Paul C. Zwiebel, MD
Denver Plastic Surgeon

Breast implant firmness/capsule

Hello, It possible that you are experiencing mild capsular contracture that may develop at any time after breast augmentation. The cause of this excessive scar formation is unknown and patients sometimes require revision and replacement of the implant if it progresses to become very uncomfortable. Please make certain that you have undergone a thorough breast examination by your physician and yearly mammogram if indicated by your... more

Pedy Ganchi, MD
Ridgewood Plastic Surgeon

Changes in breast augmentation at two years

Capsule contracture -- contraction of the normal capsule (not "encapsulation") is still a rather mysterious process in plastic surgical medical science. From a pathophysiology/medical science standpoint, it is hard to imagine how a smooth surface implant that was healed and doing fine in a normal capsule could change on one side without bacteria or some irritant introduced into the space in or around the capsule (essentially a scar tissue layer). Possibilities include access... more

Scott L. Replogle, MD
Denver Plastic Surgeon

Characteristics of capsular contracture

If you are beginning to experience unilateral tightness of a breast, after a 2 year "honeymoon", I concur that the scar envelope around your implant may be getting thicker. All breast implants elicit a "foreign body" reaction or capsule, which is graded as a Baker I-IV stage. The lower the stage are preferable. Surgery (open capsulectomy or capsulotomy) will be recommended for Baker IV capsular contracture, whereas you may be eligible for... more

Lavinia Chong, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon

Tightness after Breast Augmentation, from San Diego

Likely early capsular contracture. See your plastic surgeon, and consider a course of Montelukast or Zafirlukast. May also consider mammogram and/or MRI to image the devices and check for rupture.

Steve Laverson, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Capsular contracture in Breast Augmentation

Capsular contracture describes the tightening of the scar "capsule" around the breast implant. Though the exact causes are not well understood, it is likely that it will occur at some point during the "life" of an implant. When it does occur there are different options and recommendations depending on how advanced the contracture is. You should check with your surgeon with any concerns.

Asaad H. Samra, MD
Red Bank Plastic Surgeon

Tightness after breast augmention.

Unexplained tightness which cannot be explained by recent exercise or activity is concerning for capsular contracture. I recommend making an appointment with your plastic surgeon for a thorough examination and treatment options.

David Bogue, MD
Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

See your surgeon for a yearly breast check up.

In my practice, my patients come back for yearly breast check ups. This enables the patient to make sure everything is still ok. You should call your PS and schedule a check up just to be safe. see video

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Early capsular contracture?

I recommend you schedule an appointment with your plastic surgeon. What you describe may be the early forms of capsular contracture.

C. Bob Basu, MD
Houston Plastic Surgeon

"Tight" Feeling to Implants May Mean Capsular Contracture

Hi there- Without examining you, it would be hard to say exactly what I think is going on, but I would be worried that you may be developing a capsular contracture. I would recommend that you visit your surgeon at your earliest convenience.

Armando Soto, MD
Orlando Plastic Surgeon

Breat encapsulation

Unfortunately, you sound like you are experiencing a late breast encapsulation. It is possible you sustained a muscle tear, but you do not relate a traumatic event and the process is occurring without pain. You should see your plastic surgeon to be evaluated.

Vishnu Rumalla, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

tarrantplasticsurgery.com

Tight breast

A recently tightening breast implants may be the signs of an early capsular contracture. You should get examined by your surgeon.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Capsular contractures

You sound like you may be developing capsular contracture of the affected breast. See your doctor for an examination, possibly an ultrasound or mammogram. He may be able to advise you on medications that may or may not prevent this. Good luck.

Scott E. Kasden, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Breast Augmentation 2 Years Ago - Started Feeling Tight a Week Ago

See your surgeon ASAP. You may be starting to form a capsule or have a sub acute infection. From MIAMI Dr. Darryl j. Blinski

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Late capsular contraction is a infrequent problem with my Breast Augmentation Patients

While you may have just pulled a muscle and late capsular contraction is uncommon in my practice, it is a possibility and you should see your plastic surgeon soon. If the breast is getting harder then you might be able to head off a bad capsular contraction with treatment. I routinely put patients who are developing a capsular contraction after breast augmentation mamoplasty on a two week course of an antibiotic (Cipro) and a drug used for asthma (Singular) for three months. This... more

Carl W. "Rick" Lentz III, MD
Daytona Beach Plastic Surgeon

Tightness two years after breast augmentation

The tightness that you just started to feel in one breast may be due to capsular contracture. A capsule forms around every breast implant however for some the capsule will become tight called a capsular contracture. The implant will become firmer and can round up a bit and allow you to 'feel' the implant within the breast. Capsule contracture can occur for unknown reasons, and often on just one side. A leak in a silicone gel implant can be a cause that you and your surgeon may wish... more

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

www.peterejohnsonmd.com

Breast implants

The feeling of tightness may be the onset of capsular contracture. I am not a believer of massaging to relieve the discomfort because it can not be controlled and it may cause more harm. At this time I would recommend for you to see your plastic surgeon and obtain his/her thoughts.

Shahin Javaheri, MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

Tight feeling after breast augmentation.

Late capsule contracture is a possibility. It happens. Best to see your surgeon. Sometimes a breast band will help, sometimes not and surgery is required. Optimistically you are fine and just strained a muscle on your tight feeling side and time will cure. If the breast feeling tight also feels firm, you likely have developed a capsule contracture. See your surgeon. Dr commons

George Commons, MD
Palo Alto Plastic Surgeon

Possible EARLY Breast Implant Scarring (Capsular Contracture)

Regarding: "Breast Augmentation 2 Years Ago - Started Feeling Tight a Week Ago I had a breast augmentation 2 years ago. In the last week my left breast has felt tight. No pain, no change in shape, nothing out of the ordinary. It just feels tight. I had gone two years without even noticing I had breast implants (they became a part of me) but now I can "feel" the left one. What could it be?" The most common explanation is the onset of scar tightening around the breast... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

Early signs of capsular contracture

You might be having early signs of capsular contracture. Maybe you should increase the massage and see your doctor.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Breast augmentation tightness

You may have an early capsular contracture of the breast. We have little data on the exact time frame for a contracture to occur, but in general the risk increases with increasing duration of time that the implant is in place. I suggest seeing your original surgeon for evaluation and a discussion of your options. Best wishes, /nsn.