6 weeks post-op my right breast is bigger and still feels tight. Is this normal and will it correct itself? (photos)

When concerned, an in person evaluation by your surgeon will give you a definitive answer. What you have might be normal. At 6 weeks you are about 35 percent settled, shaped, softened, dropped and fluffed. "Drop and fluff" refers to the fact that as the skin stretches and the muscles relax, the implants move down and out slowly – about 1 percent a day. It’ll be about six weeks before they even begin to settle down, but they’ll be close to 80 percent settled and softened at three months. Watching their progress is like watching your hair grow. You don’t see a difference in your hair growth daily, but all of a sudden you need a haircut. 
Be patient after surgery. Give yourself a few months before making a judgment about your surgical results. You won't know the outcome until then. 
Dr. Ted Eisenberg, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Author     
RealSelf Distinguished Hall of Fame Inductee

Hi & thanks for your question.You are still early in your recovery. Try to be patient.  It can take 3 to 6 months for the implants to drop and settle. Continue to follow your surgeons instructions and contact him/her with any concerns. Best wishes!

You are early in your recovery, it may be several more weeks before you see your final results. be sure to follow all post operative instructions. Good luck.

Congrats on your surgery.  You are very early in the recovery phase and just have to be patient for a bit.  It takes about 4 months before you can really accurately assess your results.  For now I would follow your surgeons recommendations.The implants still need to drop and fluff and once they have done that you can see how things will look like.Some asymmetries that patients have before surgery become more apparent after the surgery.  For example, you may have had some volume discrepancy between the two sides, almost everyone does and in some cases we correct this the best we can by putting in two different size implants.  As far as nipple position, again that is also something that becomes more apparent after surgery.  If there was any difference in the nipple position, like one being higher than the other, once the implants are placed this difference does become amplified.Hope that helps. 

Dear Original9152,
I understand your concern and it is quite normal to be concerned about the outcome following a breast augmentation surgery. However, you are still in the very early stages of the healing process at 6 weeks  post op.
Your will need to be patient at this moment and follow what your surgeon has instructed you to do post operatively.At the early stage of the healing process, the tissues around the implants are still swollen. Once the swelling subsides and the implants drop to their final position, you will be able to see the final result of your breast augmentation surgery.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Thank you for your question. It is not uncommon to have swelling. Breasts may not heal at the same rate, causing one breast to appear different than the other. It can take up to 12 weeks for the implants to settle and you to see the final result. Give it a little more time to allow your body to fully heal and the implants to settle. Follow up with your board certified surgeon to address your concern. Good luck!

Hello. Thank you for your inquiry and congratulations on your surgery!

It is important to have an in-person medical assessment regarding this issue as it is difficult to determine virtually. Continue to update your doctor in the matter and follow their post-op protocol.

It is crucial to get cleared by your doctor before engaging in specific physical activity before the 3 month healing period has ended as the healing stage is important for healthy results.

It generally takes around 6 months to a year to see your final results. Your tissues will take time to relax and allow your implants to "Drop and Fluff" settling into place. Should a revision cross your mind, it is best to wait at least 6 months to a year before doing so.

Our tips for recovery following breast augmentation are to wear a supportive sports bra for 3 months post-operative and refrain from lifting anything heavier than 10 lbs for 3 weeks as we don't want any strain at your incision sites. Make sure to keep the area of your stitches clean by cleansing with hydrogen peroxide daily. Showering is encouraged! But, no sitting in water for 2 weeks following surgery (no baths, hot tubs, pools etc.).

Please note that this response does not substitute patient-doctor relationship. We welcome any and all patients seeking advice to come in for a complimentary consultation available for limited time only.

During the COVID-19, we are offering complimentary online consultations as well as in-office consultation with social distancing and masks. Procedure done in-hospital private surgical facility while taking covid-19 precautions. We utilize UV-light to clean the air of viruses and bacteria during our consultations and surgery. We invite you to come in to discuss your options more thoroughly. Please send us an email at info@drkaraplasticsurgery.com with the subject line: "Attention Meagan" and we will be happy to coordinate your appointment!
M.Kara,MD,FRCSC (27+ years experience) - Specializing in 24 hour recovery/ out to dinner breast augmentation in-hospital private surgical facility for your added safety and peace of mind