When will the breasts start to soften after a breast lift?

They soften about 1% a day. About 6 weeks before they start to settle. Softening slows down at 3 months. They will be close to 100% at 9 to 12 months. Dr. Ted Eisenberg, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Author. RealSelf Distinguished Hall of Fame Inductee. Philadelphia, Pa., USA

Hi there! thank you for your question. Most patients find that after 3 months their breasts have settled into a lower position and majority of swelling has gone down, resulting in softer tissue. Everyone heals differently though!

After a breast lift without implants, the breasts often feel firm, tight, high, or swollen for the first several weeks. Many patients start to notice softening and a more natural feel around 6 to 12 weeks, with continued settling over 3 to 6 months. The scars and deeper tissue can keep maturing for a year or longer.

The exact timing depends on how much skin was removed, your tissue quality, swelling, scar formation, and the lift technique. Softening should be gradual rather than sudden. If one breast becomes increasingly hard, painful, red, warm, very swollen, or changes shape quickly, you should contact your surgeon for an exam.

Hello @Alex_xo, thank you for your question. There is not a fix time; it depends on the surgical technique of the specialist performing the surgery and patient recovery. I have included a video about the healing process of the scars from breast surgery procedures to shed more light. For more information and recommendations, it is prudent to consult with one or several board certified plastic surgeons. Best wishes! Alan Gonzalez MD, FACS.

Thank you for your question. Your breasts will be firm and swollen for a few weeks after the surgery which is completely normal. They start to soften about 6 weeks after your surgery. it will take approximately 3 months for you to see the final results.
Best wishes.

Hello, thank you for your question. Usually it varies but approximately anywhere from 6-8 weeks and by the 3rd month it was gradually soften up. Continue to wear supportive bra.

Dear Alex_xo,
I understand your concern and it is quite normal to be concerned about the outcome following a breast surgery. You will need to be patient at this moment and follow what your surgeon has instructed you to do post operatively.At the early stage of the healing process, the tissues around the implants are still swollen. Once the swelling subsides, you will be able to see the final result of your surgery.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Everybody is different and much depends on the technique used and the elasticity of your skin. If your breasts are firm after a lift that’s better than it being too loose. It will inevitably loosen up on its on

Typically, most of the swelling is gone by 3 months, but can take up to a whole year to completely heal and soften.

Hi and welcome to our forum!
A breast lift involves separating the skin and soft tissue of the breast from underlying breast tissue, removing excess skin (leaving the nipple areola intact on a vascular base), repositioning the areola into anatomic position, and closing the incisions. This is quite traumatic and results in significant postoperative inflammatory swelling which initially totally obscures the surgical result. The swelling begins to resolve after the first 6 weeks, but continues until complete healing at 12-18 months.
The extent of your firmness depends upon your breast tissue density which differs from person to person.
If concerned, revisit your plastic surgeon for advice.
Best wishes...