how long to "drop and fluff"?

It takes a while.  I had mastectomy and reconstruction (and I also had the other breast lifted-no implant) in the same surgery, so my experience is a little different than yours.  My surgery was done May 7, 2009.  My PS told me it would take at least 3 months for the lifted breast to drop and fluff and he was right.  It looks really good except for the scar underneath.  The reconstructed breast is taking quite a bit longer but has gone from "hideous" to "still a ways to go". I'm still lop-sided but hopefully all the kinks will get worked out in the next months.  I hope your experience will be better than mine has been.

Deb

DebG,

Have you posted any pictures? I am in a similar situation only I feel my lift is already too low so I'm not sure where I can go from here. How does the "fluffing" work on the lifted side..I mean what exactly does that do?

Baxter,

I am only a day after you.  I am just happy to know that they will drop and fluff.  Someone told me before the surgery to be patient because it takes 6 months for everything to settle. 

Hi Denise/dhorak,

Do you sometimes feel like you're on a treasure hunt and you have to figure out things as you move from clue to clue?! I often can't believe how blind I feel as I'm navigating through this process. What is normal to expect....what's considered a good outcome after exchange.....where should I set my expectations.....when should I accept what is and when should I continue on until I'm happy wiih my look....it goes on and on.

I'm glad we have this place to ask all these questions where we know that someone understands. It sure is a process isn't it?!

Thanks,

Candi

It took mine approx. 3 months also, but I started to identify change after 4 weeks..  Good luck!

Mine took about 6 months for the most dramatic changes.  My PS said my pec was still very tight when she did the exchange.  I still saw more subtle changes up to 9 months.  Be patient and I totally agree with Trina about taking pics.  They really do show changes that you may not notice.  Best wishes

Deirdre, I'm pretty sure that some women who have the fully cohesive implants have had some dropping and fluffing, and I know (from when this question has come up before) that there are a number of women who have the normal silicone implants who haven't had dropping and fluffing. 

So it's a toss up then and perhaps has to do with the strengh of the muscle?  Pondfrogs - did you get a different type of implant or the same implant manufacturer (size and width).. This is actually interesting - because if they used the same implant in you there must be a real difference in HOW the ps places them!

I'm going in for a revision myself in late August (FDA hasn't and doesn't seem to even want to discuss the fully cohesives so I can't wait for them any longer) and the new ps told me that he uses moderate to high (rather than the original low profile I have) for reconstruction and that he sees the low profile's proper use in augmentation..  I guess I'll see for myself in a few weeks

Denise, I hope yours turn out exactly the way you pictured them!!!  Good luck!

Deirdre, Moderates are the lowest profile available in the 'round' implants currently.  I don't know what they had in the past but moderates have been the lowest profile since I've been looking at implants which would be about 3 years now.  BE sure that he doesn't use moderate IF you want more projection.  I have a moderate in my augmented side and it is fine (r3eally wouldn't want it any bigger).  I have a midrange (Natrelle or Inamed) in my reconstructed side.  MOST of the women on the boards go for High Profile.  Look at the catalog online for the manufacturer that your PS uses and make sure the DIMENSIONS are what you want.  Best wishes

Will someone PLEASE explain what drop and fluff means?   What is it???

I'm so thankful to read this thread, since my plastic surgeon isn't answering my emails (probably because he's miffed that I insisted on morphine after my implants went in, due to allergies to most commonly used painkillers). 

I was upset to see how hard and high my gummy bear implants were when I removed the surgical bra 2 days after the surgery. I'm just 6 days from surgery and just really needed to hear what was likely to happen. I'm a little disappointed that he's not (a) already aware of my allergies from my history and (b) not empathic enough to know how upsetting it would be for me to find high, hard implants after over 10 months with tissue expanders that were like that.

I'm also disappointed that no one--not the nurses or the doctor--warned me what the implants would look like. I've had some bad days worrying over something I should have had explained to me.

So grateful for this board! 

I had direct to implant and my implants were initially a finger's width or two from my collarbone (no TEs to stretch out pocket ahead of time so it was tight). Crazy high and even when I was 13 my breasts were not that high up! Fortunately I knew that would happen so was prepared for it. They have dropped and fluffed a LOT even in just 4 months and are now in a normal position, and I do have an IMF (the "under breast crease") as well. My PS said while the most changes happen in first 6 months or so, it can take a year to really see the final position, and for them to be settled.

widdershinns how are you doing with your implant now? Have they taken a better shape yet?

Hi Elizabeth,

My surgery was 7 days ago and I have the same issue. I hate my pancake flat breasts. I was not expecting that. I guess I thought they would look more rounded. I really wish the doctors would explain that better. I have been depressed since I came home. I went for a follow up today and the NP said I’m still swollen and the implants need to drop. I’m just worried they won’t and I will have these weird breasts. I found this thread because I have been googling like crazy to feel better. Hoping our breast drop and fluff!!

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