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Numbness After Breast Augmentation

asked 3 years ago by cindig in Cape Girardeau, MO
Latest answer by Douglas J. Raskin, MD
Question viewed 8,949 times
Tags: 18 months post-op, numb

I've had my implants for 1 year and 8 months. I have 350cc's saline under the muscle, put through the areola. I still have a lot of numbness and both of my nipples have maybe 10% feeling. After this long do you think it's permanent? Also what do you think happened that caused me to experience so much numbness? I would say I have about 30% numbness on my entire breast.

23 answers to Numbness After Breast Augmentation

Numbness after breast augmentation

Hello, There is still a chance for improvement, however the further out you are from your surgery the less likely it is that you will regain all or substantial amount of sensation back. I would continue to wait and massage the numb areas as some additional improvement may occur. All the best, Dr Repta

Remus Repta, MD
Phoenix Plastic Surgeon

www.aaaplasticsurgery.com

Relative size of implant is important

The size of the implant relative to the size of your breast is the most important determinant of sensory changes, particularly numbness. If you place a large (width-wise) implant into a small breast, the nerves supplying the breast and nipple are more likely to be injured, traumatized, or stretched. The smaller the implant, the less dissection required relative to the base of the breast, and the lower the likelihood that nerves innervating the breast from the periphery of the breast will be... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Numbness after augmentation

Thanks for your question - Nipple numbness after breast augmentation is a rare but reported complication. Unfortunately after about a year it is unlikely that you will have additional recovery. Numbness can occur when the incision or dissection to place the implant injures the nerve. Numbness can also be caused by stretch or pressure placed on the nerve by the implant. I hope this helps.

Steven H. Williams, MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

www.trivalleyplasticsurgery.com

Unfortunately, your sensory loss following breast augmentation is most likely permanent.

Permanent sensory changes following breast augmentation is a real potential complication. The three year incidence for all levels of severity (mild to severe) is reported to be 10%. At 18 months following your breast augmentation, the sensory loss that you are experiencing is most likely permanent. Thanks for your question.

Stephen A. Goldstein, MD
Englewood Plastic Surgeon

After a year, recovery is unlikely

Hi- If you have not had much recovery of sensation a year after surgery, it is unlikely that much more will occur, although it is possible. It really depends on where the sensory nerves to the nipple were affected by the surgery (nerves grow very slowly- 1mm per day). Unfortunately, changes in sensation are a bit more common with the peri-areolar approach.

Armando Soto, MD
Orlando Plastic Surgeon

Numbness 20 months after breast augmentation is likely permanent.

Permanent numbness like you have experienced after breast augmentation occurs infrequently. The causes can be related to varying degrees of sensory nerve damage (stretching, overheating, or actual direct nerve disruption). The causes and the frequency of these sensory changes has also been discussed by my colleagues previously. Patients who note decreased sensation in their breasts immediately after surgery, often experience very slow but encouraging return of sensation with time. ... more

Douglas J. Raskin, MD
Colorado Springs Plastic Surgeon

Loss of sensation after breast augmentation

Temporary sensory changes are relatively common, and usually resolve during the first 12-18 months after surgery. Permanent loss of sensation is a troubling complication after breast augmentation, and occurs in roughly 5% of patients. It is quite rare for the sensory nerves to be cut during a breast augmentation procedure. However, the placement of an implant can stretch out the nerves and cause temporary or permanent damage.

Kelly Gallego, MD
Sioux City Plastic Surgeon

Unfortunately, this can occur and is due to the damage to the nerve

Unfortunately, this can occur and is due to the damage to the nerve which comes in from the side of your breast. Temporary loss of sensation in the area blood is likely to recover but if you have lack of sensation so long and I think it's unlikely this will return.

Adrian Richards, MD
London Plastic Surgeon

Numbness After Breast Augmentation

Temporary loss of nipple sensation is quite common. Sensation usually returns to normal in 6-12 months. If you do not see any improvement after 2 years you may be one of the rare cases who has permanent sensory loss. Nerves that travel from the chest to give sensation to the breasts are very thin and often invisible. They can be injured during surgery. ** Generally, this is not the result of your doctors techniques.

Ivan Thomas, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Breast implant surgery can cause nipple numbness

After so long, it is likely that your nipple numbness (or decreased sensation) is permanent. Nipple numbness is a known potential issue following any breast surgery, including breast augmentation. This is not a surprise, just something that sometimes happens. The nerves become stretched from the implant placement and/or they are partially cut during dissection to place the implant. Some people have no numbness, while others have complete numbness or somewhere in... more

Carmen Kavali, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Numbness after Breast Augmentation

Numbness can occur after breast augmentation. The reason is due to the disruption of the sensory nerves as they travel from on top of the pectoralis muscle, through the breast gland to the skin and nipple. At 8 months after surgery, if you have had some resolution of the numbness, you may get more. Regrowth of peripheral nerves is quite slow and can take up to 18 months before it is complete. This being said, it is unlikely that you will regain full sensation in those areas, but it may... more

David Bogue, MD
Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

Your numbness may persist

At this time I would say that it is unlikely that you will recover complete sensation of your nipples, though I would also expect that it should improve somewhat with time. Utilization of the peri-areolar incision in breast implant surgery does carry a higher incidence of numbness than the incision under the breast, though it has some advantages as well and so different patients may request different incisions for different reasons. The peri-areolar incision requires cutting through some... more

Adam David Lowenstein, MD
Santa Barbara Plastic Surgeon

After 20 months following surgery the sensation is not likely to return

Unfortunately, after some 20 months following your augmentation if the sensation has not recovered it is not likely to do so. Loss of sensitivity is a recognized complication from this surgery and is basically the result of the effort it takes to create the space for the implant. Studies have shown that the bigger the implant that is inserted the more chance there is to lose sensitiviy.

David A. Ross, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

www.thecosmeticsurgeryinstitute.com

Numbness after an year and a half post breast augmentation is probably permanent.

Numbness of the nipple is very uncommon after breast augmentation. You might continue to get sensibility back in the nipple after a year and a half but I'd be betting against it. Nothing to do but wait and hope.

Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Numbness after breast augmentation

Although uncommon, numbness for changes in sensitivity is a known complication after a breast augmentation. This can occur if one of the nerves to the breast or areola is stretched or injured during the surgery. If the nerve is stretched, the nerve will heal itself but this may take many months. If the nerve is injured or severed, the sensation may not return. In some cases, nearby nerves may grow into this area so that over time patients will experience a smaller and smaller area of... more

B. Pat Pazmino, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

www.miamiaesthetic.com

Numbness after breast implants

Usually, 85% of women have normal sensation after having breast implants, provided that they had normal sensation to begin with. About 15 % have a change in sensation. After 1 1/2 years, it is unlikely that your sensation will improve. It is difficutl to say why it happens in some and not in others.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Breast Numbness After breast Implants

The likelihood of breast numbness after augmentation is around 15%. In other words, 1.5 women out of ten having a breast augmentation may end up with permanent numbness. This cannot be prevented. The reasons may be many but have to do with the place of emergence of the terminal branch of the 5th intercostal (under the rib) nerve which leaves its under the rib location along the side of the breast and moves through the side wall of the breast to supply the nipple. Any traction on the nerve by... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

Numbnesss and loss of nipple sensation following breast augmentation

AS all of my colleagues have stated, at this point in time 20 months after breast augementation surgery, it is most likely that your loss of nipple sensation is permanent. Loss of sensation is most likely due to mechanical disruption and less likely to a stretching injury. It is far more common to effect one side rather than both sides. It more commonly occurs with larger implants.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Very rare but recognized complication.

To Cindig, At this point, I am afraid you can assume the numbness is permanent. This is a terrible complication and I am really sorry. There is no way to find out exactly why this happened, but I assure you it does not mean your surgeon did anything wrong.

George J. Beraka, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Sensation loss at 1 year is usually permanent

Sensation loss to the nipple and breast is an uncommon complication of breast augmentation. It is usually related to the anatomy of the breast and nerve position. Normally the nerve that provides sensation to the nipple comes into the breast from the side. In about 3-5% of the population, the nerve actually enters the breast directly beneath the nipple thru the muscle. If the muscle is elevated to place an implant, the nerve can be damaged, causing numbness. There is no way to predict... more

David A. Dreyfuss, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Not too late for some improvement but close

You might be seeing the final sensory recovery you will have but until you get to 2-3 years out, there is still some hope of improvement but normal feeling will not likely return unfortunately.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

At this late stage, it is likely permanent.

Hello, Although sensory loss is uncommon following breast implant surgery, it usually returns in a few months to a year. After a year, it is likely permanent. This probably had something to do with your anatomy and something to do with the technique used to place the implants. Best Regards, John Di Saia MD

John P. Di Saia, MD
Orange Plastic Surgeon

Partial lose of feeling of the Nipples/ Breasts are expected

Statistically, there is always a chance of loosing sensation on part/or all of the nipple after any type of breast augmentation. some doctors feel that there is an increased risk with incision around the areola, but I have not experienced any difference. The chance for this is about 5% for total loss and 15% for partial reduction in sensation.