Breast Implants Hardening After Breastfeeding

Question

I had breast augmentation about five years ago but I recently had a baby and I found that after I stopped breast feeding her my boob became very hard and continues to become harder....I went to see a doctor who is a plastic surgeon and he prescribed singulair tablets....but it's not working...what can I do?????....please help!!!!

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

Breast Implants Hardening After Breastfeeding? This is probably capsular contracture (cc). Some surgeons feel that breastfeeding can contribute to bacterial colonization around an implant causing a biofilm which has been associated with capsular contracture.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

If your breast implants feel hard and are not softening, you may have developed a capsualr contracture.  Singulair has not been proven to help although there are anecdotal reports that it may.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

Obtain additional opinions. But it sounds like a capsular contracture has formed. The best correction is surgery to either open the capsule (capsulotomy) or excise it (capularraphy).

	From MIAMI Dr. B

Kamran Khoobehi, MD · Answer

You have capsular contracture . This is harding of the tissue around the implant. You will need to have the scar tissue the implants. You can do this electively and there is no damage to your breast by delaying the surgery .

Peter A. Aldea, MD · Answer

Every foreign body placed into the body (artificial joints, bullets, artificial vessels, pumps, implants) are walled off by the body with a thin and smooth layer of scar tissue called a CAPSULE. Uncommonly, the scar tissue begins thickening and exerting pressure on the implant, in effect, squeezing them to the point that implants become very round, hard and in some cases painful. This process is called CAPSULAR CONTRACTURE.

	There is NO scientific proof that any medical therapy can stop this process but high doses of Vitamin E,  Papaverine and other supplements were tried with mixed success. Years ago following a short series of cases from Hawaii, we tried using anti-asthma medication for this NON-FDA approved purpose (IE off label use). The results have been disappointing in most patient and with the small but definite risk of liver damage seen with these agents, most of us stopped using them.

	The ONLY proven therapy is surgery in which part or all of the scar pocket is removed (CAPSULECTOMY) with the implant(s) and implant(s) are exchanged. This may cure the scar in most women but in some the scarring recurs.

Breast Implants Hardening After Breastfeeding

Answers (6)