If I get breast implants is it safe to use essential oils? Will they eat through the implant? Citrus oils can eat thru plastic.

Many of my patients use essential oils after surgery. It's best to avoid the skin around the surgery site for a few days since some patients get a little hypersensitivity of their skin from the surgical prep or their garment. Since the oil will not come into contact with the implant, there is no risk to the implant shell. 

It is safe to use essential oils on your skin after your surgery, but you should consult with your plastic surgeon as to when it is okay to start using the oils. I would recommend avoiding applying the oils directly on your incisions for the first couple of weeks to reduce the chance of any irritation to the incisions. Since the oils do not come into direct contact with the implants, they will not affect the implant in any way. To learn more about breast augmentation, you can read “A Comprehensive Guide to Breast Augmentation.”

Absolutely.  It's okay to go back to using any oils/moisturizers that you were using before surgery.  Make sure you talk to your physician about what is safe to massage on the incision itself to minimize scarring.  But again, essential oils are safe to use everywhere else.

The use of essential oils should be safe for you. I do not recommend you rub them on your incision though for at least 3 to 4 weeks.

Thanks for your inquiry.  I would not want you to place any essential oils on the wounds or breast for a few weeks.  If you are applying it to other parts of your skin, I would need to know what essential oil it is, please check with your surgeon and best of luck.    

I love the essential oils for scar management after surgical procedures, starting a couple of weeks after surgery. I think they are great for scars. They will not be in contact with the breast implant and will not impact them in any way!

Yes, it is safe to use essential oils if you have a breast augmentation. You have multiple layers of protection -- superficial and deep layers of the skin, the breast parenchyma (tissue) itself, and the pectoralis major muscle (assuming you go "below the muscle"). 
Please refer to the link below for any other questions related to breast augmentation.Best,Mark K Markarian,
MD, MSPHHarvard-trained Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon

Thank you for sharing your questions.  After fully healed from your procedure you can safely resume use of essential oils as your skin will serve as a protective barrier. Hope this helps.

Your implants are safe behind your skin, which provides a great deal of protection from many substances around you. So only substances that would eat through your skin would be of concern. Hope this information is helpful and reassuring. For more information on this and similar topics, I recommend a plastic surgery Q&A book like "The Scoop On Breasts: A Plastic Surgeon Busts the Myths."

Congratulations on your upcoming surgery and thank you for sharing your question.  Final results can take 6-12 months for all the swelling to subside.  At our office here at CARE we actually see all of our surgery patients the very next day after surgery and then again at two weeks and beyond. We enjoy staying closely connected to our patients and enjoy giving the extra attention and service.  Your concerns are important to discuss directly with your board certified plastic surgeon.  He or she will appreciate the open communication and will want to help you. I hope this is helpful and wish you all the very best.  Sincerely, Brian S. Coan, MD, FACS