Breast Augmentation

Your discomfort after breast augmentation will depend on the techniques used during the procedure and your pain tolerance. Dr. Kayastha uses meticulous pocket dissection and carefully avoids any unnecessary trauma to your tissues to minimize inflammation and pain. You can expect the most discomfort in the first few days following your procedure. Pain during this time can be easily managed with prescription pain medication and ice packs. After the first few days, many patients only need over-the-counter pain medication.

In the first week after your breast augmentation procedure, you will need to avoid movements that could strain your incision sites including raising your arms and lifting. Strenuous activities that involve forceful contraction of the pectoralis muscle should be avoided for two weeks after your procedure. Heavy exercise should be avoided for 4 to 6 weeks.

After your breast augmentation procedure, you can sleep in any position that’s comfortable. Many women find sleeping on their backs the most comfortable following their procedure to keep pressure off of the breasts. You might also want to have pillows on your sides or under your back to maintain your position and comfort.

Every breast implant develops a capsule around it following placement. This is a normal part of the healing process. Capsular contracture is when what starts out as a normal reaction to a foreign object in the body goes too far. In that case, the tissue that is deposited around the implant becomes thick and or tight around the implant. This can make the implant appear misshapen and make them firm to the touch, often associated with discomfort.

It is possible that a patient can have breast implant pain years later, but this is uncommon. A common cause for late onset pain with breast implants would be the development of scar tissue around the implant. The scar tissue can form a tight envelope around the implant that distorts it and causes pain. The treatment for this is to remove the scar tissue and replace the implants. The pain should resolve after removal of the scar tissue.

You do not have to replace breast implants every 10 years. This idea arises from the fact that manufacturer data shows that most patients will have to have their implants replaced for one reason or another by 10 years following their initial surgery. That does not mean that people do not have implants for longer. I like to tell my patients that implants do not have an expiration date. If they look and feel ok and there are no problems, then you do not have to automatically have them replaced at the 10 year mark. If you ever detect an issue with your implant you should be examined by your surgeon. An MRI may be ordered if there is concern for implant rupture.