Breast implants do not last forever and eventually will need to be replaced. Some women have experienced complications after breast augmentation and need aesthetic issues resolved.
Why pursue breast revision surgery?
Every person is unique and could experience a range of aesthetic or medical issues related to primary breast augmentation. The reasons to undergo revision surgery include:
- A desire for larger or smaller implants: Over time, your aesthetic sense changes, and you may choose to change the size of your implants to a larger or smaller cup size. If you want smaller breasts, your revision will include removing excess skin or resolving sagging (“ptosis”).
- Capsular contracture: Your body naturally develops scar tissue around the implants, but for some women this scar tissue is extensive and squeezes the implant, altering the implant shape and causing pain and discomfort.
- Bottoming out (implants too low, nipples too high): Implants incorrectly placed in a primary augmentation may drift lower on the chest wall, with the nipples now appearing higher on the breast mound.
- Older implants: Implants typically last many years, but with time will need to be replaced. The latest generation of implants lasts many years, typically ten to twenty, or even longer.
- Health concerns: Some women have health concerns regarding implants and want them removed altogether.
- A wish to return to natural breast size: You may wish to return to your natural breast size and have the implants removed. Fat transfer and mastopexy can be performed to ensure a pleasing and balanced final result.
- Implant rupture: Although rare, an implant can rupture, requiring removal and replacement.
- Symmastia (breast implant pockets have merged together medially): Revision surgery can resolve this troublesome complication.
- Breasts uneven on the chest wall: If the implants have not settled correctly and are uneven on the chest wall, revision surgery can be performed.
- Rippling: Rippling may be due to the implant being placed beneath glandular tissue in slimmer patients. The implants may need to be placed beneath the chest muscles with natural fat transfer performed to add volume.
- Implants have shifted in position: This aesthetic problem may occur in women who have had large implants, or when the surgical pocket has developed a tight capsule (capsular contracture) that shifts the position of the implant.
- Excessive breast sagging: Silicone implants are similar in weight to natural tissue. When the implants are larger, the skin tissues can stretch, leading to the breasts sagging. This concern can be addressed through a revision procedure such as a breast lift.
- Textured implants: Some women have had Allergan textured implants placed that were recalled due to the increased risk of BIA-ALCL. Dr. Hyman may perform explantation with an En-Bloc capsulectomy when indicated.