Why Do my Saline Implants Still Feel Hard When I Lay Down?

Hard implants are a dilemma faced by many women.  There are a few possibilities.  Capsular contracture, occurring in up to 10 % of women with implants, can make the breast quite firm.  If this is the case, vigorous massage and the medicine Singulair or Accolate can help.  If you can feel your implant and move it around beneath your breast and muscle, this is less likely, but a physical exam will help.  Some physicians overfill saline implants to reduce the incidence of rippling that saline implants cause.  This bears a trade off.  The more saline implants are filled, the more firm they feel behind the breast.  It would be a good idea to return to your doctor and have him/her take a look.

Good luck!

Saline implants are essentially bags filled with watery fluid. When you lie down on your front, your implants become compressed by the weight of your body, making them feel harder. If you your breasts feel soft when you aren't lying on them, then this is normal. However, if your breasts feel hard even when erect, then you should see your surgeon. This could be capsular contracture.

There may be a couple of reasons why:

1.  You could have a capsular contracture.

2.  Your implants could be intentionally overfilled which would give you a firmer feel.

You should consult with the plastic surgeon who placed your implants or another board certified plastic surgeon.

Dr. ES

This is a question that is best answered by the surgeon performing  the original procedure. However, it is highly unlikely that you have formed a bilateral capsular contracture in this short amount of time.

Saline implants tend to feel much firmer than silicone. The weight of gravity and your body pressing down on the implant itself, which is filled with liquid, can make it feel hard. If the firmness is still there when you stand up, and your breast is misshapen as well, it could be capsular contracture, a condition that you should have checked out by your surgeon.