Tips or Tricks to Getting Breast Implant to Drop

Thank you for the photos. You are still very early in your post operative course. Breast implants tend to start dropping into place after 3 to 4 weeks. They usually will get to their final position in 6 to 12 months. One will drop faster than the other, also the shape may go through changes. Please follow your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon's post op instructions. For example; we like message, but some surgeons will have you wait, or do it in a specific manner. Please also let them know your thoughts and concerns.

Thank you for your question.If you find that your breast is tight and particularly if you went up a few cup sizes, then breast massage will help your implants settle. I typically recommend waiting a week as it sooner may be too uncomfortable. However, if you can tolerate it earlier, then you can do so. I also recommend lymphatic massage as this helps to reduce swelling much faster in the breast.As far as how to massage, I recommend displacing the implant in all four directions (up, down, left and right). Example, pinch the breast on the top to displace the implant downwards. For the lymphatic massage, it is much more of a light gentle touch. We often recommend a massage therapist to help with this or we show patients how to do this at home. You can repeat this several times a day for the first several months.

It’s not unusual for patients to
have transient superior malposition of breast implants following breast
augmentation surgery. In the vast
majority of cases, this resolves with the passage of time.In most cases, it’s related to swelling, skin
tightness and muscle spasm.Superiorly
malpositioned breast implants usually drop into normal position as swelling and
muscle spasm disappear.In some cases,
this may take as long as two to three months to occur.Superior compression bands and
mechanical massage may help breast implants drop more quickly.These maneuvers apply downward pressure on
breast implants and help expand the inferior breast pockets.It’s important to realize that the majority
of breast implants will eventually drop in to normal position without any
treatment.In rare cases, surgical expansion
of the breast pocket may be necessary but shouldn’t be undertaken for at least
six months following surgery.This
allows adequate time for conservative measures to work.In someone who’s only one week
postop this type of superior breast fullness isn’t unusual.It’s important to maintain close contact with
your plastic surgeon.Your surgeon
should be able to discuss your concerns and alleviate your anxiety.

Hello! Thank you for your question! You are still early post-procedure. Your appearance looks typical at this stage and will continue to improve as the swelling subsides and the implants continue to settle into their desired position. This usually proceeds over the next several weeks as the lower pole skin/breast stretches to accommodate the implants. Follow-up closely with your surgeon for additional restrictions/instructions and the potential use of bras/garments or massage that may encourage the implant to settle appropriately. If still displaced after this time, a surgical procedure may be necessary to further open the pocket and bring the implant(s) down. Hope that this helps! Best wishes!

The full results of your surgery are still not apparent as it generally takes about three to four months. By that time, your breasts will have dropped and tissue expansion will create a more natural breast contour, with more fullness in the lower portion of the breasts. Your implants won't be sitting so high. Please wait until then to evaluate your results. You can help the process by wearing a tensor bandage wrapped tightly around the top part of your breasts, although you should ask your surgeon if this is okay first.

The best thing to do is to be patient. You are only a week post-op. It can take several months before your breasts settling completely. Also, your breast can heal at different rates so while you are satisfied with the one, the other should catch up providing there are no other issues such as capsular contracture. Gravity always wins. The other factor to consider is the degree of asymmetry before the augmentation. This could affect your results as well.
Gently massaging your breast may help. Sometimes strapping the breasts down helps them settle as well. I would have another discussion with your plastic surgeon. It is still too soon to get worried. If the look of your breasts isn't satisfying in about 6 months, you can consider a revision.
Best regards,
Dr. Speron

SEE VIDEO with EXERCISES BELOW. This video illustrates some of the exercises as well as upper pole band to promote descent of the breast implants. I sometimes encourage patients to do this twice or three times as frequently on the higher side.

It is normal for one breast to drop before the other. Gentle massaging may help. It could take a few months before you see your final results.

Thinks look great for this stage. Its only one week out, so give it time. Full descent and relaxation can take up to 3 to 6 months.

Thank you for your question. Your plastic surgeon will always be your best resource when it comes to an accurate assessment of your situation, advice, predictions, and/or meaningful reassurance.Generally speaking, breast implants will "drop" into the pocket that was created during surgery and massaging the implants downward may assist in the dropping of the implants after surgery (for those patients who want to help with the settling of the implants). The rate of breast implant "settling" may depend on factors such as size of breast implant pocket dissected, tightness of the overlying skin/muscle layers, and size of breast implant utilized. Normally, it takes about 3-6 months (for some patients longer) to see the final result. It is very common for one side to settle faster than the other.Sometimes, one or both breasts implants do not settle as planned and revisionary breast surgery becomes necessary to improve the outcome. On other occasions, if the long-term breast asymmetry is mild ( understanding that absolute symmetry is very rarely achieved), patients will need to decide whether proceeding with revisionary breast surgery is worth the potential downsides associated with additional surgery.Again, best to follow your plastic surgeon for more specifics. Best wishes for an outcome that you will be pleased with long-term.