Do behind muscle get bigger when they drop? (Photo)

Dear a.swede.with.questions,
there might be some change in shape as the implants drop but they will not become bigger.
Daniel Barrett, MDCertified, American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

There is a period immediately after surgery where the implants may be compressed and look squarish and flattened out. As tissue expansion occurs over 3-4 months, the implants “drop and fluff” to achieve a more natural breast shape.

This varies on the patient’s anatomy. What we do know is that the muscle relaxes with time as a result of the implant stretching it. Depending on the muscle thickness, glandular tissue, and skin elasticity, it is difficult to predict exactly how it will evolve with time.

Hello, thank you for your question. At first after surgery your implants will be high, hard and firm looking oblong in appearance. They don't look good in clothing until about 3 weeks, look good naked at 6 weeks and feel soft and apart of you at 3 months. As time goes on they will do what we call a drop and fluff. The shape changes but the size does not once swelling goes down. In other words the fullness up top will settle and become more rounded and projecting. Hope this helps answer your question.

Initially one may feel they look bigger because the chest muscle presses the implant high like a push up bra. Dr. Ted Eisenberg, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Author. RealSelf Distinguished Hall of Fame Inductee. Philadelphia, Pa., USA

Thank you for your question. I rarely place the implant under the muscle any longer for many reasons. The only patient who would likely benefit from placement under the pectoral muscle is the woman who is extremely flat with virtually no breast tissue.

Do your research and select an experienced board certified plastic surgeon whose results appeal to you based on his or her Before and After gallery. Best of luck to you.

I think implant settling is something that was more common in the past but today we release more of the pec major muscle as it attaches to the lower chest wall and that allows the implant to be in the correct position from the very beginning. It is really only when very large implants are placed that they need time to "settle" as they need to stretch some of the tissue and skin in the lower pole to get into a better position. For implants that are correctly sized to the breast there really is not a lot of settling that happens anymore. Of course there are always some minor changes as breasts heal but not to the degree we used to see ten years ago.

The volume does not change, but once the implants settle down, the lower part of the breast appears fuller and the implants are in a better position.

No the breasts do not get bigger when the implants drop. They do however change in shape which could make them look different in clothing. Immediately after surgery the implants are often high and the breasts are swollen. As this resolves and the implants settle the shape becomes more natural.

When implants settle down, the breast, contour typically improves, looks more natural and has a better outcome.
I don’t associate the change overtime as being a change in size.
It is more a change in contour.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom, MD