Implant Massage After Breast Augmentation

Not every plastic surgeon recommends implant massage following breast augmentation, but the vast majority of surgeons believe it’s extremely important. Implant massage is also known as implant displacement and is designed to stretch the implant pocket to avoid the development of capsular contracture.

Implant massage starts following surgery and is typically performed approximately three times per day. The implant is displaced superiorly, inferiorly, medially, and laterally. This is done for at least one year following surgery.

Can Skin Sag Result From Abdominal Liposuction?

Every patient has the potential to develop loose skin following liposuction surgery. It’s therefore important that this topic be a part of the preoperative discussion and informed consent process.

The potential to develop loose skin varies from patient to patient. This determination is based on physical examination alone. Some patients have excellent skin tone with minimal laxity and aren’t likely to have difficulty with skin sag. These patients are often younger and are close to their ideal body weight. In this group, liposuction is an excellent treatment option with high satisfaction rates.

There are also patients who are clearly at risk for developing skin sag. This group is often older and their skin has more laxity. They have experienced greater fluctuations in their weight and have had multiple pregnancies. In many cases, they are not within 10% of their ideal body weight. They may also have associated weakness of their underlying abdominal muscles.

Can I Have a Breast Reduction if I’m Overweight?

For many patients, breast reduction surgery is a life-changing experience. Symptoms such as back, neck, and shoulder pain seem to improve almost overnight. Patients note that clothes fit better and over time, their self-esteem and self-image improve as well.

Patients who are overweight don’t differ from other patients in this regard. They note similar improvement in quality of life and significant improvement in symptoms.

When patients who are overweight undergo breast reduction surgery, they often experience additional benefits. They often note increased exercise tolerance and subsequently become more physically active as they adopt a healthier lifestyle. In many cases, this results in significant amounts of weight loss.

Breast Implants: Over or Under the Muscle?

Implant placement relative to the pectoralis major muscle continues to be a source of controversy. Although the majority of plastic surgeons prefer submuscular placement, there is still a large group of plastic surgeons that feel strongly about subglanduler placement. Each group can make convincing arguments regarding their position of choice. It’s safe to say that both approaches have advantages and disadvantages.

In the context of these discussions, we feel that every patient needs to be considered individually. Each patient has unique anatomic findings that effect the decision to place the implant under or over the muscle. The aesthetic goals of the patient are equally important and have a significant impact on the decision as well. The vast majority of patients are striving for larger breasts with a natural look. They want balance, harmony, and proportion with the surrounding structures.

The majority of breast implants are placed in a submuscular position. There are several advantages to the approach. These include softer tissue coverage, which results in fewer visible folds, creases, and ripples in the implant. This is especially important in women who have thin skin and minimal breast tissue that want saline implants.