Following this surgery you will experience considerable swelling and bruising of the breasts. The bruising usually lasts about 2-3 weeks. While most of the swelling will have dissipated by this time, some subtle swelling may still be present for up to 4-6 months. After the surgery you may notice that the breasts feel quite firm and taut, particularly along the edges of the incision site. This will be as a result of the normal healing process laying down elements of scar tissue to facilitate healing. You should expect the sensation to the skin in the nipples and surrounding skin to be reduced after cosmetic surgery. This is as a result of surgical trauma to the nerves in the region.