I am 4 1/2 months post op from my breast augmentation surgery. I noticed from the first few days that my left breast sat higher than the right. They both have dropped a lot, but the left still sits about an inch higher than the right. I am still taking my medication, wearing my strap, and massaging daily. My PS says it is capsular contracture. Is it possible that the capsular contracture occurred immediately? It always looked higher than the other.
Answer: Capsular Contracture: Timeline
Capsular contracture occurs when scar tissue begins to form around breast implants and tightens the pocket which the implant resides. Encapsulation can begin very early, I would estimate within 3 to 4 weeks. The key to treatement in my experience is to vigorously massage the breast implant and to start medication such as Singulair or Accolate. These medicines can help by reducing the contraction effect and giving some relaxation of the pocket. In the pictures which are evaluated, it appears the the left implant began early after surgery in a higher position. Your surgeon may not have dropped the implant enough or the tight tissues of the left lower breast area displaced the implant upwards and it never dropped; capsular contracture than began and prevented the implant from being able to drop and settle. Surgical correction is likely needed to give better symmetry.
Helpful 3 people found this helpful
Answer: Capsular Contracture: Timeline
Capsular contracture occurs when scar tissue begins to form around breast implants and tightens the pocket which the implant resides. Encapsulation can begin very early, I would estimate within 3 to 4 weeks. The key to treatement in my experience is to vigorously massage the breast implant and to start medication such as Singulair or Accolate. These medicines can help by reducing the contraction effect and giving some relaxation of the pocket. In the pictures which are evaluated, it appears the the left implant began early after surgery in a higher position. Your surgeon may not have dropped the implant enough or the tight tissues of the left lower breast area displaced the implant upwards and it never dropped; capsular contracture than began and prevented the implant from being able to drop and settle. Surgical correction is likely needed to give better symmetry.
Helpful 3 people found this helpful
Answer: How Early Can Capsular Contracture Start? I'm sorry to hear about the issues that you have been experiencing. In the early stages of capsular contracture, medication may be helpful. I would suggest talking with your surgeon about nonsurgical options to attempt to improve the contracture. If the contracture cannot be improved then surgery may be need to removal the scar tissue and place a new implant.
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Answer: How Early Can Capsular Contracture Start? I'm sorry to hear about the issues that you have been experiencing. In the early stages of capsular contracture, medication may be helpful. I would suggest talking with your surgeon about nonsurgical options to attempt to improve the contracture. If the contracture cannot be improved then surgery may be need to removal the scar tissue and place a new implant.
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February 6, 2015
Answer: Capsular Contracture After Surgery
It could have happened very early on, but it could also have been an uneven pocket from the beginning. Capsular contracture is a clinical diagnosis and the pictures dont really show any severe degree of contracture. You could be experiencing uneven breast implant pockets. It's best to follow up with your plastic surgeon.
Helpful 2 people found this helpful
February 6, 2015
Answer: Capsular Contracture After Surgery
It could have happened very early on, but it could also have been an uneven pocket from the beginning. Capsular contracture is a clinical diagnosis and the pictures dont really show any severe degree of contracture. You could be experiencing uneven breast implant pockets. It's best to follow up with your plastic surgeon.
Helpful 2 people found this helpful
September 24, 2012
Answer: How Early Can Capsular Contracture Start?
Your left breast implant sits high - this appears to be a positioning problem, as opposed to capsular contracture, as your inframammary incision appears to be much higher on that side.
I would guess that you will need to have an operation to adjust the position of the left implant.
I recommend you discuss this with your surgeon.
Good luck!
Helpful
September 24, 2012
Answer: How Early Can Capsular Contracture Start?
Your left breast implant sits high - this appears to be a positioning problem, as opposed to capsular contracture, as your inframammary incision appears to be much higher on that side.
I would guess that you will need to have an operation to adjust the position of the left implant.
I recommend you discuss this with your surgeon.
Good luck!
Helpful
September 24, 2012
Answer: Implant malposition in the early post op period is relatively easy to fix
Based on the photos you have sent along - my guess is that this represents implant malposition, unrelated to capsular contracture. The solution is relatively straight forward, but does involve additional surgery. You could 'wait it out' for a few months longer, but its unlikely that you'll see a dramatic change.
Helpful
September 24, 2012
Answer: Implant malposition in the early post op period is relatively easy to fix
Based on the photos you have sent along - my guess is that this represents implant malposition, unrelated to capsular contracture. The solution is relatively straight forward, but does involve additional surgery. You could 'wait it out' for a few months longer, but its unlikely that you'll see a dramatic change.
Helpful