How long do you swell after a breast augmentation? And what can I do to reduce it?

Thank you for your question. Each patient has their own healing process. It is common that the majority of swelling goes down at 6 weeks post op. Wearing a supportive sports bra and icing will help the swelling to go down. The peak of swelling is typically 3-4 days after surgery. After 2-3 weeks you will notice a change in the swelling of your breast. 

This is a complicated question only because recovery will be so different from surgeon to surgeon. I tell patients that a dress fitting or important occasion three weeks after breast augmentation should be fine, but I take certain measures to insure this. Swelling can be minimized with certain surgical techniques, as well as using or not using certain postoperative dressings. A careful conversation with an experienced surgeon will help to shed light on this.Hope this helps,Leland Deane MD FACS

Hi there. Thanks for your post. You should be fine at 3 weeks to go to the wedding in terms of comfort and being able to dress appropriately. The settling time for implants varies between patients but 3-4 months is a good rule of thumb. Factors that make the settling time faster include - subglandular implant placement, loose skin, small implants. Conversely, factors that make the settling time greater include: tight breast skin, minimal natural breast volume, large implants, dual plane approach. Good luck!

Swelling is often seen in the immediate postoperative period. This usually peaks on day 2 and will eventually decrease. The tighter the pocket (i.e. the smaller the preoperative breast and the larger the implants) the stiffer your breasts will be after surgery. It takes around 3 months for the breast skin and tissues to adapt to the new implant and hence the breast becomes softer.
Cold application, use of a supportive bra and Arnica topically can help reduce the immediate postoperative swelling.
Hope this helps,
Ali Rıza Öreroğlu, MD FEBOPRASEuropean and Turkish Board Certified Aesthetic, Plastic and Reconstructive SurgeonIstanbul, Turkey

Many thanks for your question. Swelling does take in general three months to finally settle however within this time period the maximal swelling experienced in the early days following surgery does improve considerably. A stable result on the whole is seen at six months though factors such as technique used does play a part. You will be able to attend that wedding though can expect obviously swelling still at this time. All the very best with things!

Jonathan Adamthwaite

Thank you for your question. Patients can swell from anywhere up until 3 month. Swelling may go up and down. Swelling is normal after most procedures. Best of luck!Dhval M. Patel Double Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Hoffman Estates Barrington Oakbrook Chicago 

Thank you for the question. The early phase of healing takes a few days and it can be less with Arnica use. You will see good results immediately after surgery but you are right swelling will go down gradually over the next few weeks. The early final result is at about 3 months. During this time the muscles release and the implants will finally drop. All these are averages and your healing time could be slightly different but I think you may be okay to attend the wedding 3 weeks after the surgery. However ask your doctor for more specific advice. Best of luck!Dr. Khuthaila

Although in each patient it can vary , swelling after breast augmentation generally subsides after 3 weeks post op. However, it can take up to 3 months for all the swelling to go down and the implants settle. However, the vast majority of the swelling goes away within the first five days. Most patients are already satisfied after a week.

Everyone experiences a little different recovery after augmentation. Most of the gross swelling and brusing typically has resolved by three weeks, although i instruct my patients that it takes three months for the final results to be evident. I encourage most of my patients to begin massaging a week after surgery, and believe this helps with both swelling and discomfort. You should be fine to attend a wedding three weeks postop. All surgeons have their own protocol for recovery, and i recommend you follow yours.

Thank you for your questionOver the next 3-6 months of recovery, the breast tissue and
skin stretch and relax, the body absorbs all the fluids, and you experience the
‘drop and fluff’.

Swelling peaks at 1 week, and 95% of it subsides after 1 to
1.5 months. The more extensive the surgery, or the more physical activity you
engage in, the longer swelling takes to subside. The swelling can in extreme
cases account for as much as a cup size of artificial fullness.Make sure to get a lot of rest to speed up absorption of fluids by the body. Best of luck for your wedding!

As always, please follow-up with your plastic surgeon to
make sure your breasts are healing well. Their instructions should take
precedence over everything else you read here.

Hope this helps.