Do we lose breast sensitivity after getting silicon breast implants?

Question

Do we lose breast sensitivity after getting silicon breast implants? I am a size A and would like a natural look, but not at the cost of losing breast sensitivity. I am considering getting small implants to get a B or small c size at the most.

Farah Naz Khan, MD · Answer

Your breast or nipple sensation may change after surgery but it should normalize within weeks to months. With any surgery, you always risk losing sensation because of traction on the nerves but the nerves generally grow back in due time. Best to ask your operating surgeon for more details if you are still concerned.

Karol A. Gutowski, MD, FACS · Answer

Temporary numbness is common after surgery but long term sensitivity changes are much less common, especially with smaller implants. See link below for examples.

Cynthia L. Mizgala, MD · Answer

After Breast Augmentation surgery nipple sensation can temporarily change. You may experience some numbness of the breast. After a few weeks and the breasts are healed the breast/nipple's normal sensation should return. Be sure to discuss your concerns with your board certified plastic surgeon.

Jeffrey W. Hall, MD · Answer

Placing implants in the breast can affect the sensation to the nipple and to the skin. Fortunately, this is uncommon and usually if it does happen it is temporary and will resolve with time. You will need to decide how important this risk is versus your desire for implants. Most patients find the risk acceptable.

Peter A. Aldea, MD · Answer

Breast Augmentation regardless of the type of implant used may be associated with temporary or permanent loss of sensation. Most such losses are caused by traction- the pulling forward of the breast and the skin by the implant and most normalize in a few months. However, there is a small number in whom such losses and numb patches may be permanent. If you are completely unwilling to risk any loss of sensation you should not have this surgery because no ethical surgeon can assure you that however small the risk of numbness is it would not happen to you. Peter Aldea. MDMemohis, TN

David Finkle, MD · Answer

When breast implants are placed the blood vessels, nerves and milk ducts are preserved.  So, theoretically no feeling should be lost and the ability to breast feed should remain intact.  However, those nerves are stretched and it is possible the sensitivity could decrease or increase immediately after the procedure.  Nerves regenerate very slowly and it may take 9-12 months for the sensation to return to normal.  The size of the implant does not influence the possibility of nerve injury.Good Luck!

Connie Hiers, MD, FACS · Answer

Any surgery to the breast carries the risk of sensation loss. Also, you have two different breasts, and they may not have the same sensation after surgery. Most women do retain full sensation after breast augmentation.

Brooke R. Seckel, MD, FACS (retired) · Answer

It is not unusual to have some numbness in the cleavage area after breast augmentation. Nipple sensation loss is unusual but can occur in 5% of breast augmentations.

Lawrence Bundrick, MD (retired) · Answer

A breast augmentation surgery, whether it is with saline or silicone implants always has a slight risk of loss of sensitivity. This is due primarily to little nerves that might get cut during surgery. If this happens, it will usually resolve on its own to feel natural again.

Ronald V. DeMars, MD (Retired) · Answer

First of all, the type of implant is immaterial. Yes, there is always a risk to losing sensitivity of the nipple(s) or other areas on the breast with any type of breast surgery and runs in the 5-10% range depending on which research paper you read. Sometimes this sensitivity returns, sometimes it does not. If you want no risk you need to not do any surgery.

Do we lose breast sensitivity after getting silicon breast implants?

Answers (10)

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