Ahhhhh… there’s nothing like a good massage… just not too soon after breast augmentation surgery.
It’s a good idea to wait at least 6 weeks after your breast augmentation procedure to have a massage that requires you to lay on your stomach for more than a few minutes. The pressure of your bodyweight, plus the extra force that your practitioner uses during the massage, will displace your breasts to the sides and may stretch the implant capsules enough to allow the implants themselves to shift towards the sides more than you might like. This could lead to a widening of the space between your breasts and less cleavage.
Keep reading to learn more about the precautions you can take for massages after breast augmentation, and about other issues related to laying on your stomach when you have breast implants.
Precautions for getting a massage after breast augmentation surgery
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- Wait at least 6 weeks after surgery. It takes about 6-8 weeks for the capsules around your breast implants to heal and hold your implants in place. The implant capsule act like an internal bra that keeps the implants secure in the position they were originally placed during your surgery. Before the 6 week mark, the capsules are delicate and easily stretched or torn. The weight of your body, in addition to the pressure of the massage on your shoulders and back, could easily stretch or tear an immature capsule and could displace one or both of your implants.
- Limit the amount of time spent on your stomach. If there is a massage option that allows you to lie on your back, this is a better choice in the first few months after breast augmentation surgery.
- Use a roll or pad under your arms and chin. If you decide to have a massage that requires you to lay on your stomach for the majority of the treatment, use a rolled up towel or pillow under your chin, neck and armpits to raise your breasts off the table and limit the amount of pressure being transferred to them.
- Limit the pressure used on the shoulders and upper back. Don’t be shy about asking your practitioner to limit the amount of downward force they use on your shoulders and upper back. You don’t have to tell him or her the reason why you’re making this request, but don’t be shy about asking if you want to be conservative and protect your chest.
Recommendations for stomach sleepers who have had breast augmentation
The topic of having a massage after augmentation surgery has an obvious relationship to sleeping on your stomach with breast implants. The weight of your body pressing your breasts apart for 6-8 hours will definitely lead to stretching of the implant capsules and displacement of one or both implants towards the sides of your body. If you are a bonafide stomach sleeper, consider the following:
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- Try to become a side sleeper. It is definitely in your best interest to try to wean yourself off of stomach sleeping. There’s no question that sleeping regularly on your stomach will change the appearance of your implants, it’s just a matter of time. You will not be able to sleep on your stomach within the first 6 weeks of surgery anyway, so it’s best to start the process of becoming a side or back sleeper at that time.
- Wear a bra to bed if you are a permanent stomach sleeper. If you just have to sleep on your stomach with breast implants, it’s at least advisable to wear a bra to bed. That will prevent some of the displacement towards the sides, and hopefully keep your implants looking good longer, but it is still not as good of an option as becoming a side or back sleeper.
- Expect your implants to change over time if you are a permanent stomach sleeper. If you choose to remain a stomach sleeper even though you have breast implants, you should expect the space between your breasts to get wider, expect your cleavage to decrease, and expect some asymmetry to develop over time. Those are the tradeoffs for continuing to sleep on your stomach.
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Do the above considerations also apply to chiropractor visits?
Yes, the same concepts apply to chiropractor visits, although most people do not typically spend as much time on their stomach at a chiropractor’s visit as they do during a massage. The same principles apply though, so be mindful of them if you use a chiropractor.
Exclusive Breast Augmentation Procedures offered by New York Plastic Surgeon Dr. Nicholas Vendemia
We are one of the few practices in the world that focuses almost exclusively on breast augmentation surgery, and Dr. Vendemia’s results match his commitment to continued innovation in breast augmentation surgery for the least amount of downtime combined with the highest level of safety and the most predictable outcomes. We’re looking forward to meeting you for your consultation, and to adding you to our ever-expanding list of women who got better results than they ever imagined with one of our exclusive and innovative techniques.
We encourage you to View our Breast Augmentation Photo Gallery to see the incredible results that real patients have achieved in our practice with our exclusive and innovative approach to breast augmentation surgery.
Nicholas Vendemia, M.D.
Plastic Surgeon New YorkMASNewYork.com
Photo Credit: istockphoto.com
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