Will my Breast Ever Get Soft After a Breast Augmentation? If Yes, How Long Will It Take?

400cc implants are not "harder" than smaller-size breast implants. Firmness in the first few weeks after augmentation surgery is related to swelling, as well as the youthfulness and elasticity of the "container" (your breasts and pectoralis muscles) your implants are within. Every woman is different!

For example, imagine a woman who is in her 40's, has had several children, breast-fed them all, and has lost weight recently. She will have loose breast skin (may even need a lift in some situations) and less muscle tone than a young athletic woman who has never had children and never been an ounce overweight. You could easily anticipate who might have a more firm result after augmentation, especially if each has the exact same implant size.

Your friends may have had smaller implants because they wanted less enlargement, or because they started with more of their own breast tissue and needed smaller implants to get to the final size they wished. Or, all things being equal, they simply wanted to be smaller than your goal size.

Your breasts WILL soften. How much and how long it takes is as individual as each and every patient. You should notice significant decrease in firmness over the next few weeks, but it will take 6 months or longer to reach your "final" result, including your scar softening and fading. Be patient; those friends with the softer breasts now may have more sagging sooner than you! Best wishes!

It typically takes longer than 1 month for the breasts to be soft.  Massaging the implants helps.  Make sure you are keeping close follow up with your surgeon.  

Hello and thank you for this great question. The breasts may be a little bit high, swollen, firm and tight for about 6-8 weeks following a breast augmentation. Typically 2 months post surgery you will see the "drop and fluff" in the implants. The soft tissue settles, the skin relaxes and the implants look better and more natural. The implants will be showing their true projection. If you experience firm breasts after this period of time, you may be experiencing capsular contracture, I advise you to see your plastic surgeon for further evaluation. Best of luck to you.

The breasts are usually rather firm after a breast augmentation and will soften over time.  At 4-6 months time, the breasts will be as soft as they are going to be.  But there are some things that do matter here.  It depends on how much soft tissue coverage you have and also how big of an implant was chosen.  The bigger the implant the tighter the pocket will be and the more firm the breasts will be.  Also the type of implant matters:  a saline implant that is overfilled will be much more firm that a regular silicone implant.  Now with the newer choices that are available thru Natrelle (Allergan-Responsive, Soft Touch, Cohesive), different cohesiveness of silicone implants can be chosen which will determine how soft that breasts will feel.Hope that helps.

Thanks for your question. This question is an older one, so I believe you were about one year out from your breast augmentation based on your described surgery date. After one year, your result will have mostly settled. A larger implant will not be "harder" than a smaller one; the softness of your breast post surgery largely depends on the amount of breast tissue that you had pre-operatively. This is why your result may different from friends. You already had silicone implants which are softer than saline implants.

"Settling" of breast implants is a process that takes time. The soft tissues covering your implant (muscle, breast tissue - fat and glandular tissue, and your skin) all must stretch to accommodate the implant. Depending on the size of the implant relative to the stretch of your tissues and the amount of time after surgery there will be normal changes and "settling".It generally takes at least 1-2 months for initial settling but changes can be noted even at one year. There should be progressive softening over the first few weeks and your breasts may become as soft as preop. The only other important factor is encapsulation or capsular contracture which unfortunately can occur in some women and lead to progressive hardening over time.  At one month postop it is much to early to consider that possibility.Be patient!

Be patient, the first few weeks are a period of adjustment of your body to implants. Your breasts will become softer, a little bit lower and smaller in size in 8 - 12 weeks. You are in the early healing process, and full recovery requires from 4 to 6 months. I wish you best luck.

Thank you for your question. Congrats on the surgery. It may take months for the breasts to soften, and they may never soften to the pre-surgical state. In addition, the greater the implant to breast tissue ratio, the more the implant will affect the longterm firmness (or softness) of the breast. I would exercise patience and see how things change with every few weeks that pass by.

Patience is a virtue!  Each patient heals differently with different results.  Generally it takes at least 3-4 months or longer when the breast lower and become softer. Good Luck

It can be difficult to be patient after breast augmentation, especially if it's something you've wanted for yourself for a long time. Many patients want to see results right away, but the truth is, it takes a while for your recovery to run its course. As you are only 3 weeks past your operation, your breasts will continue to change as you continue to heal. Usually this takes at least 3 months, and for some women, it can take even longer. As your swelling goes down and your tissues adjust to the implants, you will likely find that your breasts become softer and softer. If you still have concerns, check in with your doctor who can evaluate you in person if needed.

When implants are first inserted, they sit high up because your tissues are tight and gravity hasn't taken effect. Over time, natural tissue expansion occurs to allow the implants to fall into place. By this time, your breasts will have taken on a more natural contour, where the lower breasts become softer and rounder. Please wait at least four months for this to happen.This process tends to occur sooner in one breast than the other, so don't be alarmed if you find that your left drops before the right or vice versa.