Shouldn't my Silicone Implants Be Feeling More Natural? Doctor Answers, Tips
Breast Implants: Q&A
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Shouldn't my Silicone Implants Be Feeling More Natural?

If you're muscular and never had children, shouldn't silicone implants feel more natural? I have silicones under the muscle, and they feel like rubber balls stuffed in me. I understand that silicone implants are supposed to feel more natural than saline. Will the tightness eventually go away to the point that it feels like natural breast tissue?

I am doing some agressive massaging, but they don't seem to budge much (2 wks postop). The tightness under my nipples don't seem to want to stretch.

9 Doctor Answers | Asked by stomachsleeper in palo alto, ca
+2

The implant pockets must be too tight.

You already know what I think, stomachsleeper! The implants feel tight for the same reason that they are too high. The implant pockets are too small and not low enough. I really feel terrible giving you bad news, and I hope I am wrong. Another word of advice: I don't think aggressive massage helps, and it can even be harmful because it can cause extra internal scarring around the implants. This is controversial, but that's what I have noticed.
+2

Too soon to tell...

Just be patient... Ultimately, it can take a month or so before any breast augmentation patient starts to feel normal again. Silicone implants are very soft. The softest would be a smooth implant (as opposed to textured). This is usually an individual surgeon's preference in which implant you have, but most are smooth. Remember too that if you have a large implant and started with relatively little breast tissue, your breast will feel like the implant. If you have tight skin, it may take a more
+2

It takes 2-3 months for breasts to soften after breast augmentation

Immediately after breast augmentation surgery the body swells. The implants stretch the covering breast tissue which grows for the next 2 -3 months and then they usually feel softer.  Keep up the massage. 

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+2

Silicone gels are softer only if working as intended

The texture of breasts are merely a physics problem. It relates to volume. type of filler, and pressure. Silicone implants outside the body are softer than saline implants until you try to compress the volume into a smaller space. This increases the pressure which translates into firmness. A silicone implant can feel firm if the implant is too big for the space into which it is placed or if the capsule of scar tissue that normally forms around the implant starts to contract. If your muscles... more
+2

Two weeks is very early after silicone implants

Hello, Initially all implants, saline or silicone, will feel unnatural. As swelling goes down and your muscle swelling also goes down, they will start to feel more natural. Most patients can begin massage of their implants by about 2 weeks after surgery, but some take longer. I would give it a month before you are too concerned. Trying to force massage if there is still swelling and pain can be counterproductive. Mainly keep your doctor advised and be patient.
+1

2 weeks post-op from breast implants

2 weeks post-operative from breast augmentation surgery is way too early to say your implants feel like rubber balls. You have to give it some time for the pockets to relax a bit and the swelling to dissipate. This may take a few months.
+1

Firm feeling silicone gel implants, only 2 weeks post-op

Stomachsleeper: On the RealSelf site you will find many Q&A posts about firm implant texture soon after surgery, including several from me. You will typically need 6-8 weeks to begin to notice significant softening. Stop massaging unless your surgeon has instructed you at this early stage. You should not expect a silicone gel implant to feel softer than a saline filled implant (misconception). Other factors are more important than the fill material of the implant. Your youth,... more
+1

Too soon to worry, but....

Hi there- I think that it is still too early to make a judgement on your outcome, as implant outcomes routinely take between 3 and 6 weeks to fully evolve, and this is especially true in younger women who have never experienced pregnancy. Having said that, I would be a bit concerned that this might indicate an inadequate pocket... Give it at least another month to 6 weeks, then together with your surgeon, make an assessment of your outcome and any necessary adjustments.
+1

Only two weeks

If you are only two weeks postop, it is too early to expect softness. You still have some swelling and the implants are new to your body so you have to get used to them. Give it some time and the soft feeling you are expecting will happen. Discuss your massaging technique with your surgeon. You don't want to be too aggressive in the early stage of healing as it may cause more inflammation and prolong your recovery. Be patient
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Comments (1)

blonde reeses 8 Sep 2012
I have had what I consider many complications since i had my 550cc and 525cc breast augmentation done almost 10 weeks ago. I feel that before the surgery was performed the i v had problems going into my vein. i have rolling veins which I explained to them as they were having a very difficult time finding a vein that would accept the i.v. They finally had it inserted at the top of my wrist. When they stated the I.V., I was experiencing horrible pain and burning and quickly expressed that I thought the fluid was not going totally in my vein and that there was aproblem. As they were stating that everything would be fine I had passed out. Upon waking, I was in excrusiating pain,crying and begging them to give me some pain medication. I was told that they could not, but that my friend who drove me could give me some of my pain medicine once I was in the parking lot.
Although I had swelling in my arm where the I.V. had been placed, I did not have red blood streaks or a big bump like phlibitis sometimes causes.I had shooting pain from my wrist to my elbo or slightly above on the front and back of my arm when I would move it certain way. More rarely the pain would go into two fingers. While caudleing my arm against my body to hold it in one position to try to avoid the horrible pain, I developed terrible neck, front of chest and shoulder pain. The anesthesiologist checked the blood pressure in all my finger tips and said they were97% and that I was fine. When I was out of pain medication on day 8, I believe, and requested more explaining my problems I was told that I just needed to relax and that I was only allowed to take 1 tylenol. Every night I would cry in pain, take many showers avoiding any hot water on my breast, not sleep for more than a couple of hours a time, took many doses of nyquil at a time trying to sleep and nothing got better.I was unable to go to work obviously and at 2 weeks post op called again to tell the doctor how horrible things were and was told by the receptionist that I should not be feeling that way, and that maybe i needed to go to the emergency room. I did not want the expense, but a couple of nights later I couldn't bear the pain any longer and did go. An ultrasound was done of my arm which showed no clots, an x-ray was done of my neck which showed some normal disc wear which they said could be normal for my age of 39 and an x-ray was done of my chest which they said could be showing signs of the beeginning stages of pnemonia. I was put on an anibiotic and given some pain medication to hold me over a couple of days until I could see my plastic surgeon. When seeing him, I was told that i was doing all this to myself and that i must be an anxious type person causing stress to myself. He took my arms and and rapidly moved them up and down in opposite directions while i was telling him it was very painful. He then pushed on my shoulders many times, told me to relax and walked out as quickly as he had come in( maybe spending 2 minutes in the room with me). After getting dressed, being in a lot of pain, I was unable to carry anything and was unable to drive and given no medication. I went to a family doctor who perscribed me pain medicine and muscle relaxers which helped tremendously. They are now gone and I am once again having horrible pain in my right shoulder, neck, sometimes upper back and am not sleeping well while taking 4 to5 hot showers at night. In addition, 3 stitches were redone under 1 of my breasts, I was put on 2 more sets of antibiotic eventhough the surgeon insits that it is just to be on the safe side because i have no infection. Also, my implants which are submuscular and high profile have not dropped much, when I stretch or yawn deeply, it feels asthough someone is squeezing the implants and then my breasts have shooting pain off and on, and the surgeon told me last that it will take 9 months to a year for the implants to fully drop. could I have capsular contraction that will show itself more in the next month?

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