When will my boobs start to feel soft? When do you start massaging? I want my breasts to feel as soft as possible. (Photo)

Hi,

Thanks for posting your question. I am happy to try and help you. It is
important to remember that a board certified plastic surgeon will be your best
resource when it comes to an accurate assessment of your situation, and
concerns.

You have to know what kind of implant you have.

Having said that, massaging of breast mounds after breast augmentation is
indicated to either maintain the pocket that was created to place the breast implant
into. The idea is that Smooth Round Implants (saline or silicone) will
be able to move freely within the pocket and provide a more natural appearing,
feeling and moving breast mound. The thought is that a full breast mound will
have some natural movement in it with activity, and move in clothes and
garments. So smooth round implants should be moved and moved often as tolerated
by the patient in the early post op period. After roughly 30 days, the movement
is less important because the pocket will have had the scar tissue heal the
limits of the pocket. At that point, moving the implants can be done with a
quick movement in the shower or wherever and can be done just once. Not a big
deal at that point.

The motions we recommend are to move the implants 'up, down and in'.
This is a routine movement pattern. These are the three primary directions you
want the have mobility. You really do not have to move implants outward because
the contraction of the chest muscle will always push the implant 'down and out'.
The only time we do not want any inward pushing is when there is a symmastia
risk or concern. In those rare patients, we have them only push up and down.

Textured shelled implants, round or anatomic shaped should not be moved because
it completely contradicts the purpose that they were put in for. Which is to
create a tight interface between the implant shell and the scar tissue pocket.
The idea was that this would minimize capsular contracture. This is why
most surgeons will not use textured shells. They are designed, in my opinion,
to create a non-natural feeling breast mound that will hopefully not get a
capsular contracture. Since the incidence of capsular contracture is so low in
my practice, the cons of the textured shelled implants outweigh any theoretical
benefit of those devices.


Best wishes,

Dr. Michael J. Brown
Northern Virginia Plastic Surgeon

Sounds like your chosen surgeon has neglected to offer you detailed post instructions??? Best to ask again.... 

Hi, there. Congratulations on your recent breast augmentation.  You are very early in your recovery process. You are expected to have firmness after breast augmentation due to swelling and tightness of breast skin and muscle.  For the next couple months, swelling will decrease and implants will settle down.  You will not feel like implants are part of your body for 3-4 months.  In regards to massaging implants, plastic surgeons differ in our post-op instruction.  It depends on our experience and preference.  Although I ask my patients to start massaging after 1 week, you should follow your plastic surgeon's advice.  Please follow up with your plastic surgeon closely.  Best wishes with your recovery.

At 11 days your are early post-op. It can take 4-6 months for the breasts to soften.  As for massage not all surgeons recommend it.

Thank you for your question. You are in the very early phase of healing. Breasts will will continue to change in the coming several weeks. Every physician has their own way handling post op course. Please talk to your PS and follow his instructions.

Whether to massage or not depends on what type of implants you have, textured or smooth, round or textured. If you have smooth implants, then massaging is appropriate. They most likely will get softer in time. 

You are only several weeks after your surgery and your implants seem to be very generous in size.  I would imagine that your implants may take several months before they soften and lower their position slightly.  I don't encourage the patient to massage the implants until the patient is in the first month after the surgery, not in the first several weeks, but this question should be directed to your surgeon.  After all, he or she is in the best  position to answer these questions.Good luck to you.Frank Rieger M.D.  Tampa Plastic Surgeon