Hematoma After a Breast Lift, Will the Breast Become Normal Again?

I had a breast lift without implant and after 10 days a had a large hematoma but the surgeon decided not to remove the blood until on day 16 of the hematoma the breast became very hard and compressed and blood started to come out of the verticle incision. I had a second surgery and had the blood removed but after a week the breast is still very hard from the anchor part and swollen. Will my breast heal and return to normal? Will the hardness disappear and the breast will gain its natural form?

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12 Doctor Answers | Asked by Toutsi72

Doctor Answers (12)
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Breast lift

Your breast should return to normal, but it may take 3 months for all of the swelling and firmness to go away.

Post Operative Hemtoma

Thank you for the question. There is a significant amount of swelling in the breasts in part from the surgery as well as the hematoma formation. This in turn causes the breast to become firm and tense. In time the swelling and thus the firmness should resolve and return to it's normal state but will require months to do so. On occasion other sequelae may occur secondary to the hematoma requiring revision. At this point be patient and continue to follow up closely with your plastic... more

Your breast will return to normal in time.

A hematoma is a recognized possible complication from a breast lift. The blood in the tissues creates inflammation of the tissues, resulting in firmness and soreness. Luckily this will resolve and though it may takes several months, the breast tissue will eventually soften and the breasts will regain their form. Patience is most important now. Gentle warm compresses may help with discomfort and speed the resolution. Keep following up with your surgeon. more

Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD

18 reviews

Boston Plastic Surgeon

Edema Vs Fat Necrosis

Most likely, the breast tissue is still swollen from the bleeding into the tissue. The other possibility is that you could have some fat necrosis. This typically takes longer to resolve but tends to mostly soften with time. I would recommend discussing this matter further with your surgeon.

Hematoma after breast lift

Thank you for your question. Hematomas can occur after any surgery, including breast lifts. If the blood from the hematoma is completely drained, the breast will eventually soften and return to its normal appearance. Unfortunately, the hematoma can create a significant amount of inflammation, which can lead to the hardness of the breast. This takes a significant amount of time to resolve, often several months. However, eventually your breasts will return to normal and your result should not... more

Your breast will likely become normal again

The firmness is likely from inflammation and swelling from the blood collection. As there is no implant, there is unlikely to be hardness of the breast after everything recovers. Please give things some time and everything should be fine. In your situation it is unlikely to be any hardness after everything resolves. Best regards, Shim Ching, MD

Resolution of Hematoma after Breast Lift

If the drainage of the hematoma is performed promptly, the hardness that has developed should return to normal in the following weeks.

Resolution of hematoma

The skin and tissue will most likely return to normal, but it might take several months to do so. Warm compresses or massage may be indicated to help speed up the healing process. But mostly, the inflammatory changes just need time to resolve.

Hematoma after Breast Lift; Final Results Normal?

I'm sorry to hear about the complication you experienced after breast lifting surgery. Generally speaking, if the area of the breast is “hard” because of the inflammation associated with the hematoma and additional surgery, you will find that the breast will go on to soften and “return to normal”. However, if you are experiencing a separate problem such as fat necrosis, additional time and/or intervention may be necessary to achieve satisfactory final results. At this... more

Hematoma after breast surgery

If a hematoma develops and then is removed and washed out, often the breast needs a little more time to heal and settle down, but it should be OK.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Hematoma After a Breast Lift,

The hematoma and its treatment contributed significant inflammation and swelling, often moreso than the original surgery, The likeliest outcome is that all will resolve and both sides will look the same. This will take several months, and close follow up with your surgeon should continue during this period. Thank you for your question, best wishes.

Firmness should resolve

Thanks for your question. Sorry to hear about your hematoma. It sounds like it was evacuated and there are no further collection so that is good. The increased firmness is often a result of the inflammation caused by the hematoma. There is obviously a certain amount of postoperative inflammation and swelling. This is then increased with the presence of the hematoma. It will take longer to resolve on that side but it should do so completely. I usually recommend massage and warm compresses.... more