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Breast Reconstruction
Is It Okay to Go Scuba Diving with Tissue Expanders In?
As long as your incisions have adequately healed there should be no harm to your implants from scuba diving. This is also true for permanently placed implants (either cosmetic or reconstructive).
The expander itself is a sealed silicone reservoir sitting beneath intact skin, so once the incision is closed there is no opening for water or pressure to get in. Healing usually takes a couple of weeks, but this varies, so ask me at your visit before resuming diving. What matters most is that the skin over the incision is fully sealed and not tender, red, or draining. If you notice any opening, drainage, swelling, or increased pain after diving, call my office right away so we can check the site.
Clinical Context
Tissue expanders are silicone reservoirs placed under the skin and filled gradually through a small port using a needle. Once the incision has fully healed and closed, the device sits entirely beneath intact skin, so it has no opening for water to enter. The main concern with diving isn't the expander itself — it's whether the incision has healed enough to withstand water exposure and pressure changes. If it has, the expander should not be affected.
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