Breast massage after breast augmentation

Capsular contracture is one of the most common aesthetic complications of breast augmentation. One way to address this problem is by performing breast massages after the surgery. There are also highly recommended exercises that aim to achieve the following:

• Help the breast settle after surgery to avoid a high-riding breast.

• Decrease swelling and discomforts

• Break the scar that is forming through the healing process.

As a surgeon, I highly recommend to my patients to start performing breast massages within 24 hours after the surgery. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Take a shower with warm water to soften the tissues.

2. Stretch your arms all the way up with your elbows straight and touch each side of the hand above the head. Do this for about 5-10 minutes.

3. After stretching your arms, massage each breast with the opposite hand, squeezing until it feels uncomfortable. Do this multiple times.

4. You can also perform sideways massages where you put your hand on each side of the breast and squeeze your breast until it feels uncomfortable.

5. Do not massage aggressively, because you can actually drop the implant significantly after surgery by applying too much pressure.

6. You can only start sleeping on your chest after 3 to 4 days.

7. Avoid sleeping on your side because this puts pressure on one breast which can cause significant asymmetries and it can push the implants into an incorrect anatomical place.

8. Perform breast massages three or four times a day for the first month. You can continue doing the massages for up to a year, but with less aggressiveness than the first months.