Hi All
I had a mastectomy with immediate silicone implant reconstruction last June: total axilla lymph node clearance last July and 15 sessions of radiotherapy last October. At the end of November I had what was diagnosed at the time as infection/cellulitis. I have just returned from holiday and the same infection/cellulitis has returned. I’m seeing my breast surgeon this coming Friday however my friend who is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner took a look and thinks it could be capsular contracture. Interestingly I then saw my scar therapy nurse and she also voiced that it could be that. my implant is quite hard around the edges.
My question is: has anyone been diagnosed with this and how was it treated.
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Hi irenko,
I had a mastectomy and a immediate reconstruction with a tissue expander in March 2023. On the whole the implant was comfortable and settled down quite well until four months later I had 15 days of radiotherapy. Then the implant changed and became hot and hard and really uncomfortable. My surgeon stated that radiotherapy caused the implant and skin to contract, and this was a common issue with radiotherapy, and suggested a new implant be fitted, which happened three weeks ago (a long wait as I had a mastopexy on the other side, with lipo modelling to boost the implant). It looks and feels a lot better already. Are you able to see your surgeon/consultant for their opinion?
All the best
Flowers and Bees
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Hi @irenko ,
I had a mastectomy and immediate reconstruction in Feb 24, and 15 sessions of radiotherapy in May. I knew there was a risk but my surgeon said I had the early signs of capsular contracture in November. There is tightness in my breast and it definitely looks a bit smaller. I can feel a hard edge to my implant on the inner edge.
I also have fibrosis in my breast skin, lung and through armpit, so everything feels tight, and now also have a mild breast and truncal lymphoedema. I do lots of exercise and stretching to keep everything moving.
I’ve found an MLD therapist privately and had some excellent immediate results with deep oscillation therapy on the hard edge to the implant. The hardness is essentially excessive scar tissue and the oscillation therapy has helped break it down, as well as treat the fibrosis in my skin and armpit. The hardness hasn’t completely disappeared but it’s much reduced and my skin much softer too.
If you look up MLD UK, you can find a therapist near you. It lists private and NHS practitioners. Hope it works for you.
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Oh thanks for the tip re MLD massages @limehouse - I’ve been seeing a therapy nurse at the oncology centre who has been massaging it but due to my new infection would rather wait till I see my breast surgeon. I only get 6 sessions free with her so will definitely look at getting some private sessions. My skin is ruined at the moment - hope it recovers.
I’m booked in to see the breast surgeon this week @Flowersandbees but this is my second infection and the hardening feels a little worse and skin currently tired. When I saw him last month he did say that he wanted to think about a new implant once my skin settles down. But here we are again. I also want to know what is causing these infections x
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I’m sorry to hear that you’re really going through it with your implant, and a second infection really sucks. I think our bodies take a total battering when we go down various treatment paths and I wonder if that leaves us prone to infections and a little run-down. Hopefully your breast surgeon will have some answers. Good luck, hope things improve for you soon.
x
It would be nice after nearly a year to start experiencing some “new normal” however we do what we have to do don’t we. Thank you for your info, advice and kind comments 
Hi @irenko ,
I’ve been told things like, “It’s early days yet,” and “This is your new normal”, but I’m reluctant to accept that nothing can be done about implant pain and discomfort, fibrosis, stiffness etc. There are thousands of women who go through this process every year, so there must be solutions out there to help us. I’m determined to be proactive about helping myself so pain isn’t part of my new normal and I can carry on doing the active things that bring me joy.
Wishing you all the best.
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