I had a breast lift back in January. Will this swelling settle? (Photo)

Question

I had a breast lift back in January and had a terrible hematoma in one breast. It swelled like crazy and took months for the bruising and swelling to go away. At my 6 month follow up, I still had swelling underneath the breast, which my doctor just cut off about 7 weeks ago. It feels like there’s an indent in my breast—will this settle?

Krishna Vyas, MD, PhD, MHS · Answer

It’s not uncommon to experience swelling and changes in breast shape after a breast lift, especially following complications like a hematoma. The indentation you feel could be due to residual scar tissue or changes caused by the hematoma and its subsequent removal. It’s possible that the area may continue to settle and improve over time, but it could take several months to a year for the final result to become apparent.
Since you're still relatively close to the revision surgery, it's important to follow your surgeon's advice and allow more time for healing. Swelling should continue to decrease, and scar tissue may soften. Keep communicating with your surgeon during follow-up appointments to monitor progress and address any concerns as they arise.
Krishna Vyas, MD, PhD, MHSHarvard, Hopkins, & Mayo Clinic Trained Aesthetic Plastic SurgeonNew York, New York

Chet Mays, MD · Answer

Thank you for your inquiry!  Swelling can last for a couple of months.  Give it time and keep up the communication with your physician.  We would love to sit down with you and discuss your concerns.  Schedule a consultation with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon to help you reach your goals.

Ira H. Rex III, MD · Answer

You are still very close to your surgery date.  Our tissue is elastic and as you know, will change over time.  You should consider discussing this with your plastic surgeon.  You may be in a situation where you wont know the final result until 6 months or a year.

Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD · Answer

A comparison with your opposite side would allow me to give most meaningful information regarding the small indentation. If your hematoma was in that area of the indentation, it is possible that you have some residual scar tissue in that area which has contracted slightly leading to the indentation. Usually overtime, and with the effects of gravity and scar maturation, these disappear. Observation of this over the next six months to a year will let you know whether this will occur. Best wishes.

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

If you had a revision seven weeks ago you will need to give the area more time to heal to see the final result.  The majority of swelling should be resolved by now. Continue to follow your surgeons instructions and follow up regularly to discuss your concerns.

Connie Hiers, MD, FACS · Answer

The hematoma may have put too much pressure on some of your breast tissue in that area and thinned it. This may or may not improve.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

To make an assessment regarding the outcome of any plastic surgery procedure, we need to see a complete set of proper before and after pictures.
If you don’t have before, and after pictures to ask your surgeon to forward the pictures they took.
Without knowing what you look like before hand, if we can’t begin to make equality assessment.
 The impact of the hematoma is also significant. The inflammation involved with absorbing large amounts of blood can create scar tissue that can’t contract.
Sometimes hematoma should be surgically evacuated, removing as much of the blood as possible.
Sometimes it’s acceptable to allow blood collection to absorb overtime.
Case there is sufficient complexity at making a good assessment is going to be challenging.
 It’s going to be difficult to determine how much your outcome is related to your candidacy for surgery, how the procedure was performed and or the impact of your postoperative course.
Continue following up with your provider.
If you’ve lost faith or want to proper second opinion consultation, then schedule those as in person consultations with other plastic surgeons in your community.
 For second opinion consultations come prepared with a complete set of proper before and after pictures and a copy of your previous operative report. 
Understanding why you’re outcome looks the way it does isn’t going to make your outcome any better.
It does, however, shed some light on what secondary or revision procedures may be able to accomplish.
Based unlimited information, we can’t really begin to give you a quality assessment.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom MD

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