Benefits of Breast Massage after Breast Augmentation

It has been well established that massage has many health benefits, ranging from loosening up tight muscles, to relieving pain, to stimulating the immune system. Massage may also be beneficial following a breast augmentation cosmetic procedure, as it has been shown to help reduce the rate of capsular contracture and keep the breasts feeling soft and natural.

Breast Massage Instructions

Patients should wait until at least seven days after surgery to massage the breasts. At that point, they can start to gently move the breast implants in small, circular motions. Implants should be moved up, down, toward each other, and then away from each other. If there is any pain during this manipulation, the breasts may need to heal a bit more before starting up again.

The important thing to remember is that it is actually the implants, not the breasts themselves, which are being manipulated. The goal behind breast massage following augmentation is to keep the capsular pocket, which holds the implant, from hardening and tightening. This hardening of the capsular pocket is known as capsular contracture. It is an excess build-up of scar tissue in response to the insertion of the implant. If the capsule does contract, it can lead to hardening of the breast, pain, and displacement of the implants. This displacement is most common in the upper part of the capsule, which may cause the breasts to appear too high on the chest.

Who Will Benefit from Breast Massage?

Breast massage is recommended for patients with submuscular implants (located behind the pectoral muscles), although patients with subglandular (above the pectoral muscles) may also experience some benefit.

Do All Surgeons Recommend Massage after Breast Augmentation?

The theory behind breast massage following augmentation surgery is to keep the capsule big enough for the implants so that it does not contract around them. Some cosmetic surgeons argue that while breast massage following augmentation is not directly harmful to the integrity of the implants, it does not necessarily provide any benefits and may actually be painful for the patient.

Other surgeons do not recommend breast massage following augmentation because they feel it to be unnecessary if they have a low rate of patients developing capsular contracture. In other words, if the surgeon has made the capsules large enough for the implants, there should be little contraction, so no need for breast massage.

Still other surgeons feel that since capsular contracture is the body’s immune response to the breast implants, the better way to treat the condition is with autoimmune medications such as Accolate or Singulair.

Patients should discuss breast massage benefits and possible risks with their cosmetic surgeons. Many surgeons who are in favor of breast massage following augmentation will want to customize the massage routine for each patient. They may even suggest a different technique for the right and left breast.

To schedule a breast augmentation consultation at the Atlanta area practice of Crawford Plastic Surgery, contact the Marietta office today.