Lump Near Nipple After Breast Implants

Sometimes after breast augmentation, there are occassional lumps that appear. Typically they will disappear. It could be caused by obstruction of your ducts or scar tissue. I would still have your physician check them out. If it seems suspicious, you may need a mammogram.

Best regards,

Dr. Speron

I treat any lump after surgery very carefully.  You dont say when you had your surgery done and what incision was used but in general I would say you need to see your doctor to be examined.

Within the first 3 months after breast augmentation surgery it is common to experience lumps. For this reason it is best to defer mammograms for 6 months in most instances. These lumps are commonly due to obstructed ducts or scar tissue in the path of implant placement. Commonly these imporve over a 6 month period.

If you have a new lump that you noticed and you have breast implants, it is hard to know what that could be without an exam and a better history. You should see your doctor.

While the odds that a breast mass is a cancer is low, the consequences of complacency and "playing it by the numbers" can be so severe for the few women who do have cancer that every suspicious mass should be evaluated and probably biopsied. I would discuss it with your Plastic surgeon and get his guidance but remember everyone can have an opinion. It is YOUR body and you need to decide what to do.

You do not give specifics about your operation but in general you and your surgeon should treat all new lumps with suspicion. I have had a number of situation where patients coming for augmentation or had augmentation were discovered to have breast cancer prior to or within 6 months of having implants.

Breast cancer and early detection are an ever present concern for women. In our practice we do not see lumps appear after breast augmentation, and before augmentation we encourage an up to date mammogram in those of the appropriate age or family history. When a lump appears after breast augmentation, we think a diagnostic mammogram and breast ultrasound is the safest approach to determine the exact nature or cause for the lump. Better to be safe and know than wait for trouble.

Best of luck,

peterejohnsonmd

This is a question that really needs to be answered by a plastic surgeon who either performed your surgery or who has the benefit of an examination as well.

I hope this helps

Dr Edwards

Breast cancer is a reasonably frequent problem While most lumps in the breast are not cancer, any lump needs to be carefully evaluated with mammograms and a breast evaluation by a physician. While breast implants do not increase the risk of breast cancer, they don't prevent it either.