However, the final appearance of the breast does not occur for several months because of the need for the tissues of the chest muscle and breast to accommodate to the size of the underlying prosthesis. In the interim, the breasts appear unnaturally high on the chest, and the skin feels tight. This is temporary and improves strikingly over the first three months. The most important thing to remember in all this is that this is a normal and natural phenomenon, and is unavoidable. It should be appreciated that changes continue to occur in the breast due to the presence of the implant for many months.
Many patients report a perceived shrinkage of the breasts at a year following operation.
This is most likely due to the compressive effect of the mass of the implant on the breast tissue. This can be seen on mammograms, and is akin to a sponge being squeezed. There may also be a purely psychological tendency to adjust one s personal definitions of size after having undergone the procedure. This will be explored in greater depth during the consultation.