Massaging "under the muscle implants" question.

[Puddles]

I just had unders done on Monday (round, high profile, 400cc's overfilled to 450, under the muscle saline implants...with a lift procedure as well) and the doctor showed us how to massage them to help them fall into the pocket. From what I understand, this should take months to achieve.

My question is, how much time in minutes per day should they be worked on?

Although they hurt when it's being done, it kinda feels good...like a deep tissue massage hurts and feels good at the same time.

 

[Bikini Mod]

Stop stressing.... Just squeeze them puppies several times a day and you will be ok.

When I had mine done, one did not drop to it's "natural" looking place. (Actually both me and my doc liked the one that didn't drop BETTER LOL) But after a year there was still a noticeable difference to the naked eye when I didn't have a bra on, not noticeable AT ALL in a bra. But still, after all that to have to wear a bra if I didn't want to was not acceptable. So I had one brought down so they would be more even.

The procedure was quick and not nearly as painful and was covered by insurance because of the capsular contracture. As a matter of fact I would have been eligible for silicone. Knowing what I know now, I wish that I would have had them both replaced with the silicone.

Ah well, next set!

 

[KEL]

MrsP I never massaged mine any more than normal movements with my arms.

 

[Nonerz]

Although they hurt when it's being done, it kinda feels good...like a deep tissue massage hurts and feels good at the same time.

I can totally relate on this one...and I don't even have implants...yet! I have a hard time explaining this pain/pleasure thing...

 

[Puddles]

hehehe, Noonerz!

Kini...please be careful with sillicone. My friend had sillicone that leaked...although they've been removed for a few years now, the leakage was bad and it ran rampant through her body. She feels like she's got the flu 24/7 now. The removal process wasn't pretty either. From what I've read, most doctors agree that overfilling the saline implants helps prevent capsular contracture. I know how much nicer the sillicone feels, but I'd hate to see anyone go through what my friend has experienced.

Do you think sleeping propped up makes much of a difference at all? I've slept propped up most of the time, but geez...my butt gets tired of this! LOL

 

[Nonerz]

Hey girlie, nice gallery you have there! Sorry I don't have any breast implant massaging techniques to share with you, but I know how good a massage feels to me!

One of my co-workers does a lot of "theraputic back massages" for stress/tension relief and she says that you have to loosen up the back first, then get into the specific tight areas. Maybe it is the same way with your implants?

Start off slow...deep and even...work it in circular motions and apply a little more pressure once it starts to get warm and relaxed...

ummm...sounds good at least! You know your body best!

 

[Puddles]

Thanks.

My daughter was massaging my back like that...little circles...she learned how to do it on Animal Planet...pet massage! LOL Since the implants my back has been very tight...today was the first day I could actually stretch my shoulders back and squeeze while I arch my back...it feels sooooo good to do that now! Tomorrow I'll be up by the woman who I go to for massage therapy...maybe I should get in a half hour of back...mmmmmm....I think we're onto a wonderful idea.

 

[Bikini Mod]

There is a risk inherent w/any implant Darlin'... I know. Besides, it isn't like I be able to afford much of anything like that any time soon. So for now, I am "safe". LOL

How you sleep, yadda, yadda, yadda... don't sweat it. Go get a massage so I can be even MORE jealous of you!!!

 

[SouthernBell]

Mrs. Puddles, I wish I could help you on this one but my doc told me not to massage my implants. The most massaging I did was when I was moving my arms around. But I can say that I took well over 12 weeks for them to fully drop in place. Maybe It took that long because I wasn't massaging them, I am not sure. But now they are fully dropped and both are even. I was really paranoid at first too because they were really high I mean in my collarbone high , I didn't even have to wear a bra and It looked Like I was Pushing them up. .


LOVE

 

[SteelWeaver]

Puddles - I haven't been around much - just wanted to say to enjoy the new titties though I don't know the slightest thing about implants, but I'd say, massage away!!!!!

Round and round and up and down and over and under and round and round and soft and hard and .... ooh la la

 

[Puddles]

LOL Steel! You're just so full of positive energy...always a pleasure to see your posts!

Yes, love, they're up pretty high right now. Looks like I'm flexing when I'm not. If I draw my shoulders back and squeeze, my pecs flatten out to an almost normal look though...and it feels good!

I go back to the doc. on Wed. to have the tape taken off the sutures so I'll ask him what he recommends for the amount massage.

Each day gets easier...I think I'll be able to start light cardio this week.

 

[SouthernBell]

MrsP, I had my surgery on a Monday and I was doing light cardio by Friday. And back to work on Friday. Doc OK'd it of course...
But I was feeling good enough to start walking with the addition of a very tight sports bra to hold them firm so that they did not move at all.

Good Luck Hun,


love

 

[Sassy69]

Hey Mrs P - I'm another one --- I asked about the massaging and he said didn't need it. The only thing was to watch how high i lifted my arms for the first couple weeks. The most pain I had was in my lower back from sleeping in a reclining chair for 2 days after. And when I got a friend (who is a massage therapist) to do a massage, it occurred to me that I couldn't lay down so it was just a "lean forward & enjoy" sort of thing. Hell, it was 3 months before I could sleep on my chest -- and 3 yrs later, I still sleep w/ my arms bunched up in front so I'm not squashing the girls. This is probably part of an small neck & lower back soreness I have now. Every day you are one day closer to the day you forget you bought your boobs!

 

[Puddles]

Sleep is odd now for sure! I've been a stomach and side sleeper with a body pillow for as long as I can remember...with my one arm up under my head. I did sleep on my side a couple of times since the surgery, but no way is my arm going up like it used to. No wonder I'm up half the night now...guess I'll get used to it. I think the pillows are taking up more room than me now.

Sassy, is there a reason (besides pain) that I shouldn't lift my arm up high? I can finally reach the ceiling fan pullchain, but maybe I shouldn't. I used a step stool in the kitchen for the first few days to reach into cabinets and work on the counter. LOL

 

[makedah]

Puddles, I haven't been around for while. Congrats on the new set!

 

[SteelWeaver]

lol - OH YEAH! Round and round and up and down and soft and hard and, Ooh. La. LAH!

Hey, question, for all the girls in the know: is sensation ... changed in any way? I mean, how does it feel - both to have, you know, an inanimate item in your chest, and also, when it's touched/squeezed, etc ... does it feel any different?

 

[Puddles]

With mine being so new, I can't give you a good description except that right now it feels like someone's shoved a softball inbetween the layers of my pecs. I know that'll change though!

I'm thinking it wouldn't be so bad if I'd have gone smaller or gotten the kind that you can make larger over time...there's one kind that they can increase the size for up to 6 months post-op! I think those would be less invasive since you can start out smaller.

 

[SouthernBell]

At first it feels like something is just sitting there on your chest. Like puddles said a soft ball. It is a constant tightness for a while, and it is a heavy feeling. It is odd for the first couple of weeks, at least for me it was, Every move with my arms would rub the outside of my breast which wern't there. With time you feel normal again like they were ther forever.

As for as the touching and sqeezing of them, well my husband says that they feel pretty natural. I went with an overfill but not too much. They only firm enough to be perky not at all hard. Before I had mine I had no Idea how they would feel afterwards. I was expecting them to feel harder and fake. It really suprised me that they are as soft as they are and if done properly how natural they look.

The only time that they are really firm is when I am flexing. This really distorts the shape of the breast. But that is a price you have to pay when going under the muscle. My reasons for getting unders outweighed the cons of having them. Like doc said my muscle is a permanent bra.

 

[aimhigh]

Having had under the muscle implants about 1 1/2 years ago, I massaged mined regularly. In the early days (when they were still quite sore) I would just do light massage with about three fingertips & do all over the breasts. Once the soreness went away, my surgeon told me I could be quite aggressive with them & should really try to force them down into their pockets. So, for the next six months, I would spend about 15 minutes a day squeezing the suckers to death. I would literally squeeze from one side until the implant shifted completely over to the other side. I would do this on each side & up & down.

I could actually feel them stiffen up if I hadn't massaged them in awhile. I figure the work much have paid off because they look quite natural right now. I also found it easier in the earlier days to do the massage in the shower as the warm water would really help the implants to soften & move around.

I hope that helps coming from a daily lurker that hasn't logged in so bloody long, I had to set myself up again. ArgH!

 

[Puddles]

Thanks for the info., Aimhigh!

Right now I feel sore on the sides mostly (the bottom hurts pretty bad too) but when I squeeze my arms against them and release, the soreness dissipates a little so I figure it's gotta be a good thing to be doing. It seems to make sense the way you described the massaging...like it's helping stretch the muscle to allow the implants to settle down into the pocket.

 

[TEXgrl]

i just massaged mine for the first few weeks, and occassionally now, maybe once every couple of weeks. it did take about 6 months or more for them to settle down on the chest to the "normal position" looking back at pictures, the swelling was actually there for about that long too, not real noticeable but it was there.

i remember that they felt heavy, and you *knew* they were there in the beginning. after a few months, you don't remember them being there, they feel like they are part of you. for awhile i was extra-sensitive (in a good way) its been 2 years, and they remain more sensitive than they were pre-surgery!!

have you tried sleeping on your side yet? after the first couple of weeks, i started sleeping on my side again, i had a small pillow that i put between my boobs, to support the one on top, and also had a pillow between my legs for support. it seemed to help, i am a lifelong side sleeper, so i was happy to get back to normal.

 

[Puddles]

Yeah...I'm a side sleeper and last night my sides said NO WAY. I don't know...they were really painful the last 2 days and I had to sleep propped up again. I got that pillow you suggested, TEX...thanks, it's been a lifesaver!

I went to the doc. this afternoon to have the tape changed on the sutures (disolving stitches). I can't believe this guys work...amazing...there is just like a little faint line where I was cut, but no signs of sewing or stitches or anything! He taped me back up for another 2 weeks around the areola and the line down, but the line across the natural fold underneath is tapeless...yayyyy!

Then he does the "massage" but you can't really call it massage, he's like, OK, you grab ahold of the implant under the skin like this <puts his thumb on the side and his other fingers up on the top> and PUSH it DOWN into the pocket in a wiggling motion...as if you're stuffing it down in there really deep for about 10 seconds. Then he releases and does this five times....on each side. He said to do this 2 or 3 times a day to get the implant down into place. This is best done while laying down. He appologized for the discomfort but said this will bring them down quicker and into a better position than just letting them go at it naturally. I don't know if he's being this agressive because they're high profile implants or if this is his normal course of action. My poor husband has his work cut out for him tonight. LOL

 

[VeggieLifterChick]

I went to the doc. this afternoon to have the tape changed on the sutures (disolving stitches). I can't believe this guys work...amazing...there is just like a little faint line where I was cut, but no signs of sewing or stitches or anything! He taped me back up for another 2 weeks around the areola and the line down, but the line across the natural fold underneath is tapeless...yayyyy!

I am so happy for you! The scars are the scariest thing about getting a lift, and I'm so glad to hear that they are very minimal.

 

[TEXgrl]

Then he does the "massage" but you can't really call it massage, he's like, OK, you grab ahold of the implant under the skin like this <puts his thumb on the side and his other fingers up on the top> and PUSH it DOWN into the pocket in a wiggling motion...as if you're stuffing it down in there really deep for about 10 seconds. Then he releases and does this five times....on each side. He said to do this 2 or 3 times a day to get the implant down into place. This is best done while laying down. He appologized for the discomfort but said this will bring them down quicker and into a better position than just letting them go at it naturally. I don't know if he's being this agressive because they're high profile implants or if this is his normal course of action. My poor husband has his work cut out for him tonight. LOL

yep, i would say thats typical, my doc did the same thing, i remember i was in tears when i walked out of the office, he was so aggressive

 

[Sassy69]

Hey girl! Just one more thought I had for ya -- Once the first 2-3 weeks are past its really just a matter of getting your pecs back in working order, except for one thing --

BE CAREFUL DRIVING THE CAR!

For the longest time I couldn't turn my head all the way around to back up & feel safe about it. Because you are strapped in w/ the seatbelt & its all a big torso twist to check your blind spot, it hurts like a muther for a while.

Otherwise, hell I was out in a tube top bouncing around on the dance floor 3 weeks later!

 

[KEL]

sassy that brings back memories of driving~ I held the wheel at 5 & 7

I couldn't lay flat on my back for a few weeks so give it a little time- I had to sleep with my shoulders elevated

I went to a costume party 3 days after surgery- I wore a toga

 

[Puddles]

Thanks. I've been driving as little as possible and I'm using both hands like Kel said, the seatbelt however is across my lap and behind my back for now. The only time I'm really having difficulty driving is when I need to back out of a parking spot. Went to the mall today and bought a strapless 38D bra and some other goodies. Monday I'm going back to work and into the gym. It's been a long 2 weeks, but damn...I'm SO HAPPY!!! I let the pain meds wear off now but I do take them in the morning when I wake up and again in the evening to help with the massage pain. My pecs are killin me!

 

[Sassy69]

Boobs are a bitch.