Breast implant massage involves gently moving the implant within its pocket. Advice on massage varies between surgeons and depends on the implant type.
The rationale
Some surgeons recommend massage for smooth implants to help keep the pocket open and the breast soft, with the aim of reducing capsular contracture. The evidence is mixed, and practice differs.
Important caveats
- Massage is generally not advised for textured or anatomical implants, where movement could cause rotation or disrupt tissue adherence.
- Only start massage when, and how, your surgeon instructs — not before wounds have healed.
Because guidance is so surgeon- and implant-specific, follow your own surgeon's protocol rather than generic advice.