Improve Healing with Massage after Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation allows Dr. Steven Wiener to enhance the size and shape of your breasts. Many women who harbor insecurities about their small, misshaped, or sagging breasts are great candidates for the cosmetic surgery.
Following your breast augmentation in Scottsdale, AZ, you will be given recovery guidelines that may include instructions on how and when to massage your breasts. The daily routine has health and cosmetic benefits. Breast massages help your implants settle in a cosmetically pleasing manner. The practice can also lower your risk of developing a painful complication called capsular contracture.
Why Breast Massages Matter
Daily breast massages are a standard part of breast augmentation recovery. Dr. Wiener will provide recommendations on which techniques he prefers and how frequently the routines should be performed.
Your breasts will be sore and tender in the days following breast augmentation, but patients should not wait too long to begin their massage routine. We recommend that our Scottsdale patients begin this routine by at least the third or fourth day following surgery.
Cosmetic Benefits
In the days and weeks following surgery, your implants will naturally drop or lower into a more natural-looking position. Massaging facilitates this important transition. Once your implants are resting in their ideal position, the process of fluffing typically begins. This natural process refers to the expanding or “fluffing out” of the implants.
As with implant dropping and lowering, implant fluffing allows the implants to gain a more natural-looking orientation. The process of dropping and fluffing takes time. This is one reason why we ask patients to reserve judgement on their cosmetic treatments until several weeks after surgery.
To ensure that you enjoy all of the cosmetic benefits of these two processes, follow your recovery guidelines closely and massage your breasts regularly.
Capsular Contracture
Although rare, capsular contracture is a serious complication that all of our Scottsdale patients should take steps to prevent. The condition results in the hardening of the tissues that surround the implants. Patients with this condition often describe their breasts as painful to touch.
Following your recovery guidelines, working with board-certified surgeon like Dr. Wiener, and massaging your breasts regularly can greatly reduce your risk of developing this serious complication.
Common Breast Massage Techniques
Dr. Wiener or a member of our plastic surgery team will be glad to discuss breast massage techniques. Common techniques include:
- Pushing the breasts toward the middle of the chest and holding for 30 seconds
- Cupping one hand over each breast and then pressing down
- Pushing each breast away from the center of the chest and holding for 30 seconds
- Using one hand on either side of the breast to squeeze the breast
- Grabbing one shoulder with the opposite hand and using the arm to compress the breast
Each massage session should last several minutes. To gain the most benefits from this routine, patients should perform these massages two or three times per day. The massage regimen should begin within a few days after surgery and should be continued for several weeks or until Dr. Wiener advises that the routine is no longer needed.
Contact Our Practice for More Information
If you have recently undergone breast augmentation, or are considering this procedure, breast massage can help you enjoy a successful recovery and long-lasting results. To learn more, contact us online or call our office at (480) 596-6886.
