Can You Sleep on Your Stomach with Breast Implants?

Thank you for your question.Many patient are concerned with how sleep positions can affect their breast augmentation results but once you have healed from your procedure (four to six weeks) you should be able to sleep in any position comfortable.  The fear regarding 'belly sleeping' too early is that the breast capsule has not been formed yet and you could put undue pressure on the breast pocket causing displacement of your implants.  I find that 24 hour wear of a light weight compression bra post-operatively helps to prevent displacement as well.  With that said, surgeons are not all in agreement on this matter and I would therefore recommend that you discuss this concern with your operating surgeon.I hope this helps and best of luck!

Hi! I typically advise my patients not to sleep on their stomachs after breast augmentation surgery for as long as possible until they are fully recovered. The reason for this is to give the scar capsule enough time to form around the implant and to eliminate the risk of deformity that can be caused by the pressure of sleeping on the implants. Instead, I suggest that my patients sleep on their side with a pillow behind and in front of them so they do not roll over in the middle of the night and put pressure on their breasts. That way, they will still be able to lie comfortably without possibly affecting the outcome of the procedure.

Thanks for your question...Generally speaking, patients are ok to sleep on their stomach after 6 weeks post op. Every surgeon varies.You can learn more on our social media (Instagram and Snapchat): @realdrsix.

Regards,

Post-operative questions ar beest discussed with your Operating Surgeon. In our Practice- we encourage patients to sleep on their back slightly elevated to facilitate a safe and optimal immediate post-op period. 

Breast augmentation usually means having an implant under your breasts! Proper care should be given to them during the healing period and afterwards to maintain good aesthetic results. Although sleeping on your breasts even without implants can cause deterioration of their shape in the long term, some cannot do without it. In general I recommend my breast augmentation patients to sleep on their back (supine position) for 6 weeks post surgery after which they can sleep sideways provided no force is applied on the implants. You are allowed to sleep on your breasts (prone) after 3 months however I usually recommend this at its best only after 9-12 months post surgery.
Hope this helps,
Ali Rıza Öreroğlu, MD FEBOPRASEuropean and Turkish Board Certified Aesthetic, Plastic and Reconstructive SurgeonIstanbul, Turkey

Speak with your surgeon about their specific recommendations, but I recommend that my patients avoid sleeping on their stomach for the first 6-8 weeks after surgery. I want the tissues around their implants to heal completely, so that the implant is held in place and doesn't shift.

Please listen to your surgeon but you should probably wait until after your initial recovery before sleeping on your front. After your surgeon gives you the okay, it should be fine to sleep on your stomach with implants. You won't be injured or cause damage to your implants by doing so.

I agree that it is fine to sleep on your stomach about 4-6 weeks after your surgery. If you do so before, you might influence the positioning of the implant as the capsule is maturing.  

I recommend six weeks of wearing a sports bra at night.  I think this helps stabilize the implants and prevent unwanted displacement of the implants while sleeping. I have a concern that lying on the stomach prior to six weeks may change the shape of the pocket for the implants. 

After six weeks, anything goes!

Once you have healed and your capsules are stable, usually around 4 to 6 weeks after surgery, you can start experimenting with different positions for sleep as you feel comfortable.  Prior to that, it is best if you refrain from sleeping on your stomach and continue to sleep on your back or your sides.  I also have my patients wear their postoperative bra during sleep for the first 4 to 6 weeks as well.  It may still feel uncomfortable or unnatural for you to sleep on your stomach even at this point, but at least you can begin to try.  The main reason for this precaution in my practice, in addition to purely comfort and the common sense avoidance of discomfort from something obvious like putting pressure on healing tissues, is to allow the implant capsules the chance to form naturally without any undue stresses from irregular or uneven directions which could potentially change the shape or position of the breasts.  While there may be no evidence that this matters, it makes sense intuitively, and for something this simple and really risk-free to adhere to, I don't see any reason to tempt fate.  The reality is that most girls who are habitual stomach sleepers will still probably find themselves on their tummies from time to time during the night, and I don't think that the occasional short time in this position is cause for alarm.  However, being mindful of avoiding that position will help them limit this, and it is worth it in my opinion and probably helps limit the overall effect that that has.  Good luck.