That’s a great question, and the short answer is that nobody knows.

I have been recommending since beginning practice in 1996 that my patients begin “displacement exercises” to keep their implant capsules large at one week after surgery and that they keep up the exercises as long as they can. I think that the first few months of exercises are the most important.

But lots of surgeons begin these exercises later than I do, and some surgeons don’t recommend them at all. No matter what your surgeon’s recommendation, though, 30 seconds a day isn’t likely to have any appreciable effect on capsular hardening.

Here’s a link to the most recent medical “review article” that goes into this question in detail: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5749369/ .

Published on Jul 11, 2012

I recommend that my patients massage the breasts after a week and then only for 1 more week. This is because scar tissue forms by the end of 2 weeks and the massage allows the pocket of scar tissue to be larger than the implant so the breasts can move more naturally.

This is for smooth round implants. For anatomic implants, excessive massage may rotate the implant and look unnatural, so discuss with your surgeon.

Lifetime massage seems unreasonable but likely would not hurt the implants.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

No. Massage is a good thing but not necessary to keep them soft. When you move your arms and the implants are under the muscle, you naturally massage them. A good breast self-exam should be done regularly/ weekly to pick up any breast masses or abnormalities with your breasts.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

No.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Thank you for your question. Your doctor will most likely advise you to displace the implants multiple times a day for the first few weeks to keep the pocket open. When the pocket is open, the built up scar tissue formation will encapsulate only around the pocket, not the implant. This can help prevent capsular contractures. You will want to routinely displace the implants up to your collarbone, but the movement takes 5 seconds, not 30. It is best to ask your doctor the exact way he/she would like you to move them.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

If placed under the muscle, this is it not accurate. Massage is unnecessary after the initial movement period. Implants should almost never be placed over the muscle, and if they are, massage will not stop capsular contracture--rates approximate 70 percent.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

I do not believe this to be very effective in reducing capsular contracture or hardness. In fact, I have been using the newer silicone implants and my hardness rates have been very low. I recommend to my patients that they can sleep on their breasts after a couple of weeks too, but tell them that this is also is not necessary. I would, however, follow the advice of your plastic surgeon because maybe the way he does the surgery may necessitate those precautions!

Published on Jul 11, 2012

No, this is not true. Many plastic surgeons will recommend massaging the implants to keep them soft for the first year. After that, massage is not required since your scar tissue has matured.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

No, you will not have to massage your breasts forever. Many surgeons, including our office, recommend certain exercises for the first six weeks to two months. This is to establish the pocket and have the implants drop into a natural position. After that, massaging is not necessary but won't hurt anything.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

No, you do not need to do that. In our practice, we just want you to use your arms, starting the day of your surgery. This helps to get the muscle working to keep the capsule from contracting. That is, when the implant is under the muscle. This is the protocol: exercise.

Published on Jul 11, 2012