New Saline Breast Implants Shrinking?

I had 330cc implants place a week ago. I am only 5'5'' and 111 lbs. They seem to be shrinking already. They are saline and placed under the muscle. Is it normal for them to shrink?

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14 Doctor Answers | Asked by Souljah Gurl in Texas

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The 'shrinking' is a combination of the swelling going...

The 'shrinking' is a combination of the swelling going away and your own tissue being compressed or squeezed. I tell my patients that the final size will be at about 6 weeks. The final feel at about5 months, and the final position at 9-12 months.

Decreased swelling is the most likely cause

What you are most likely experiencing is the swelling from the surgery beginning to resolve. The process will continue to occur over the next several weeks so do not be alarmed. By 6 weeks after surgery, you should have a fairly accurate picture of how your breasts will look. As always, if you have questions following your surgery, make sure to address them with your surgeon. Be comfortable with the answers you receive as well. Good luck

Just swelling going away

If YOU chose your implant size before surgery, you will be happy once the 'dust settles'. Swelling will be present for several weeks and it takes months for the implants to 'settle' into their new position. Don't worry; I'm sure they'll be fine.

You are just seeing the swelling go away.

Hi! It is very unlikely that there is anything wrong. About one month after surgery, you will see the final result. If in a month, you think you are too small, I would recommend waiting a long time (a year) before you have a revision. Remember, very big implants don't age well.

It's probably swellin

Remember there is some swelling after your surgery. That swelling takes a few weeks to completely resolve. The fact that both breasts are doing the same thing is more indicative of swelling and not implant deflation. If saline implants rupture they tend to go flat pretty quickly.

Possible but more likely to be reduction in swelling

Your implants are unlikely to leak so soon after surgery unless there is an actual device defect. It's more probable that you are noting a reduction in the swelling of the breasts, which is very common right after surgery. Most patients reach a stable size about 4 weeks after surgery. If you feel that you do indeed have leaking implants, I would recommend addressing this with your plastic surgeon as soon as possible. Good luck.

Shrinking Implants

Dear Souja Gurl, the implants can leak!!! if the valves are defective or the membrane has been damaged then they will deflate. Usually though they will deflate very quickly- over a day or so and rarely go down slowly. Also, it is unusual for them to leak- and even more so for both sides!! Check with your surgeon and hopefully this is ust the normal course of post operative resolution of the swelling. With Warm Regards, Trevor M Born MD

I would doubt they are deflating

I counsel all of my patients that there is a normal period of swelling after any operation - it tends to peak 2 to 3 days after surgery, and then starts to go away. With breast augmentation, this swelling tends to make the breasts a bit "fuller", but is not terribly noticeable. (In contrast, with a rhinoplasty, the same type of swelling looks drastic!) Over the next several weeks, this swelling will go away, and the skin will relax a bit. Your implants will "settle"... more

Breast swelling, NOT shrinking

Maximal swelling occurs in the first week. Usually after 3-4 days, this process starts to subside. This could appear as though the implants are getting smaller. Do not worry; this is normal unless only one side is getting smaller, and I would then have your doctor check it out.

Perhaps?

If they are both "shrinking", you are likely seeing the swelling go down and muscle spasm relax. If only one is shrinking, you may have a deflation, though this is rare. sek

Saline implants probably not shrinking!

At only one week out your breasts will be swollen from surgical trauma, but around this time the swelling starts to subside. You will get to see the eventual look of your breast augmentation several months from now as the implants settle and and your native breast tissues change and stretch. I agree with Dr. Edwards that deflation of both saline implants would be highly unusual. It is best to go see your surgeon to have him/her check you out and allay any fears that you my have. Good luck. more

Not shrinking, settling

It would be very unusual for both of your implants to lose saline at the same time. I always tell my patients it will take weeks to months to see your final results and undoubtedly the shape of your breast will change. I recommend you discuss your conserns with your plastic surgeon as well. Dr. Edwards

The implants are not shrinking but the soft tissue swelling is disappearing.

Hello Newly placed implants have a certain amount of soft tissue swelling created by the surgery. When the swelling dissipates, your size appears smaller than at 24 hours, but the implants themselves are not shrinking. They have the same amount of saline as they did a week ago. Most swelling disappears by 3-4 weeks and that would be the time to assess your true size.