How Long Does Swelling Last After Breast Augmentation?

Congratulations on your breast augmentation! Maximum swelling occurs at about 3-5 days after surgery. In a few more days, the swelling and bruising will gradually subside, and for the majority of patients, most swelling will resolve within 2 weeks of your surgery. Your implants will gradually settle in the weeks after surgery (aka "drop and fluff"). As your body accommodates to your new implants, you’ll notice that your breasts will gradually look more and more natural – the way you hoped they’d be! Over the course of about three to four months, your body creates new skin to accommodate the additional volume of your implants. This natural process is called “tissue expansion”, and relieves the tightness you may be experiencing. It allows for the implants to settle more into a better position with the help of gravity. A gradual redistribution of volume from the upper to the lower breast occurs, resulting in an enlargement and rounding out of the lower breast.Although it's often called "dropping", it is more like "redistribution". The "fluffing" part refers to the impression that the lower breast enlarges and that your skin softens with the creation of new tissues. The extent to which this occurs depends on several factors, including the implant size, the tightness of your skin, and your body shape. 

Patients undergoing breast augmentation can anticipate
significant swelling in the immediate postoperative period. This swelling
resolves quickly with the vast majority being gone in about three weeks. Almost
all of the visible swelling is gone in four to six weeks, but small amounts of residual
swelling may be present for up to three to four months following surgery.

Compression bras and dressings are frequently used
following breast augmentation to minimize swelling. Swelling can add to a
patient’s postoperative discomfort. It can also increase anxiety regarding
breast size immediately after surgery.

For these reasons, we feel it’s important for the
patient and the surgeon to have good communication regarding this topic
immediately following surgery. In this situation a little reassurance can go a
long way towards making this a more comfortable
experience. 

I am aware of studies that show that your breasts may retain as much as 10% more than their final size for as long as 9 months after surgery. However, if you suddenly note more swelling on one breast more than the other, you should notify your surgeon.