Normal To Get Capsular Contracture 1 Week Post BA? (photo)

Breast/Implant firmness and or malposition one week after surgery is probably not a capsular contracture. More likely reasons are: 1) Overfilled saline implant 2) Underdissected pocket 3) Hematoma 4) Seroma 5) Too large of implants 6) Pectoralis spasm or contracture 7) Swelling..and any combination of the above!

Thank you for your question. It is extremely unlikely to develop capsular contracture that quickly from your surgical procedure.  Issues such as hematomas and postop infection certainly increase the risk, but still 1 week is very fast and very unlikely. Discuss this with your plastic surgeon  for an examination and things to do to minimize contracture. Best wishes!

It typically only happens that fast if you have an infection, I would suggest seeing your PS as we have some non surgical options that may help that being said it could also just be differential settling of the implants

Getting a capsular contracture after one week is pretty unusual as it usually takes time for the scar tissue to form. Amongst the common causes for contracture formation are postoperative hematomas and infections. At one week, I would be more concerned about whether you have one of these issues causing your pain and size discrepency as these may still be treatable. Hope this helps and good luck.

Capsular contracture one week after breast augmentation surgery is very unusual as the capsule is formed when scar tissue is deposited around the breast implant and then contracts.  

There are specialized cells, called fibroblasts and myofibroblasts, that produce the collagen that makes up the scar tissue  and that contract to form the capsule around the implant.   

Your photo shows a significant size difference which may reflect a preoperative asymmetry or size difference.  I feel however, that it is more likely that there was no significant preoperative size difference, and that you may have a blood or fluid collection in the larger breast.  

I recommend that you return to your plastic surgeon so that you can be examined and appropriate tests and treatments be prescribed.

I read the comments from the other surgeons so I'm going to set the record straight.  Capsular contracture does not set in after 1 week!  The capsule forms weeks after placing the breast implants.  At 1 week the inflammatory process that precedes the capsule is just getting ramped up and there is no capsule present.  Capsular constracture may appear within the first year but even then it's extremely rare.  The pain you experienced was likely normal postoperative pain.

The question becomes, is the picture supplied recent or one week after surgery?  If it's current then there are several issues.  First, the size of the implants is significantly different.  Second, the inframammary fold on the right is significantly lower than the left.  Third, the distance between the breasts is very wide, but dissecting the medial breasts is very dangerous and if not done properly can result in problems.

Visit with your surgeon and discusses these issues.  It's important that you hear from him what his thoughts are.

Hi SkinnyMini

Your picture shows two very beautiful breasts.  It does not show visible signs of capsular contracture (that would be consistent with a Grade III or Grade IV).  There is obviously no way to tell how firm your breasts are just from a picture.  If they feel firm that could be a Grade II contracture.  But, normally breast implants feel firm for the first few weeks and even up to a month or two after surgery.  This may be due to swelling, or if your implants are under your muscle, it may just be due to your muscle being tight.  It stretches with time and they will soften over time.  I have however seen patients who's breasts just never soften because as their muscle stretches, their body is simultaneously building scar tissue around the implant ie: a capsule.  If this capsule is thick or tightens around your implant, then that is a capslular contracture.  I have never seen scar tissue in any wound, anywhere on the body grow that quickly.  I don't believe it can happen that quickly. 

T is quite unlikely to develop capsular contracture immediately after breast augmentation but it is also not impossible. You should definitely consult with your plastic surgeon who can evaluate whether what you perceive as a capsule reflects tightness in the pocket or another postop issue.

It takes a capsule several weeks just to form after breast augmentation and contracture should take several months to start in. Capsular contracture after one week? The problem with your result lies elsewhere.

Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd

There are NO absolutes in Medicine; terms such as "always", "never" etc do not apply. So as much as I would like to, I cannot say that this never happens. But - I would tell you that I have not seen a Capsular Contracture at 1 week in the hundreds of Breast Augmentations I have performed NOR have ever heard of one forming in that time period.

An abnormally positioned implant in the first week such as you describe would be MUCH more likely due to a surgically misdissected implant pocket or implant malposition or a flipped over breast implant rather than a sudden rapid scarring storm.