How to tell if breast implants have dropped and fluffed?

The breasts fluctuate in size the first year after your surgery.  In the first month they are swollen.  Once the swelling goes down the breasts will look smaller.  However, the skin will stretch over the course of a year causing them to "drop and fluff."  I usually recommend my patients wait at least 6 months before changing sizes so they have a good idea what their final size and shape will be.

Dear vegaslychee,Dropping of implants is part of the healing process and this occurs after the tissues surrounding the implants slowly relax, allowing the implants to settle into their final position. It can take about four to six months for the implant to drop down to their final position.I understand that you are worried about your implants are not dropping as expected. However, you are still in the early phase of the recovery period. Please do allow some time for the healing process to occur. If after six months, you are not satisfied with the appearance of your breast, you can visit your plastic surgeon and discuss your concerns.Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Generally speaking, breast implants will "drop" into the pocket that was created during surgery. The rate of breast implant "settling" may depend on factors such as size of breast implant pocket dissected, tightness of the overlying skin/muscle layers, and size of breast implant utilized. Normally, it takes about 3-6 months (for some patients longer) to see the final result. It is very common for one side to settle faster than the other.
Similarly, it takes a few months for the breasts to "soften" in most cases.  Most of my patients tell me that their breast implants feel "part of them" somewhere between 3 to 6 months after surgery was performed.  As the breast implants "settle", the lower breast poles will round out (generally improving shape), and the nipple/areola complexes will seem to sit higher on each breast mound.
Many of my patients report that as the swelling around the breast implants (for example, in the sternal area) decreases, they feel that their breasts appear more projecting. Also, in my opinion, the "drop and fluff” phenomenon does hold some validity; as breast implants “settle”, many patients feel that their breasts actually look larger. 
 There is definitely a physiologic and "psychological" (body image)  adaptation process that occurs, at differing rates for every patient, for patients who undergo any type of aesthetic surgery, including breast  augmentation surgery.  Understandably, patients often experience significant emotional "ups and downs" around the time of surgery.
 
In other words: time, patience, and close followup with your plastic surgeon are your best friends here. Best wishes for an outcome that you will be very pleased with longer-term.

but before trying to achieve a perfect outcome, if you've healed well and you're appearances are better (and they should be), focus on healing and trying to live with them as is rather than ruminating about how you wished they were larger.  You may find that they are truly 'good enough' and you can avoid the major procedure and the risks and costs that would come with a revision.  If you feel you must go larger, consider fat grafting as an alternative that would be as costly and could possibly avoid the OR as well.

It is difficult to give advice without photographs but in general it does take months to see the final results. You should have a fairly good idea of what size your breasts will be by 2 months. I would recommend you continue to follow-up with your board-certified plastic surgeon and express your concerns and questions. Dr. Edwards

Dear Vegaslychee,Hello and thank you for your excellent question. It is best to answer your question during a face-to-face evaluation, when you can discuss your goals and expectations for the procedure, and you can have a physical examination to evaluate for that procedure. I recommend that you find a board-certified, or board-eligible plastic surgeon with whom you are comfortable. Be sure to have all of your questions answered during a face-to-face meeting with your surgeon, and review before and after pictures of similar patients whom have had this procedure. If you have any questions, call our office for assistance. Good luck!

Best,

Jon Ver Halen, MD FACS

Harvard educated plastic surgeon

Texas “Top Doc” 2017, 2018

RealSelf100

America’s Top Plastic Surgeons, Consumer’s Research Council, 2010 – 2018

BeautyAdvisor Top Contributor