Breast augmentation with implants is one of the most common cosmetic procedures performed in the U.S. In most cases, the surgery brings joy and confidence. Unfortunately, in other cases, the results are not satisfactory and will require revision surgery.
What Are Common Reasons for Breast Revision Surgery?
This cosmetic surgery either removes an implant that is not functioning properly or an implant that is no longer desired. Breast revision surgery may also be performed to replace an implant because of sizing or going from saline to silicone (or vice versa). Other common cases when a revision surgical treatment is recommended include:
- Implant rupture: While this rare, breast implant rupture can occur. When a saline implant ruptures, the implant will deflate quickly, and the deflation will be noticeable. Meanwhile, if a silicone implant ruptures, it is only detected via an MRI. Either way, when a rupture occurs, a second surgery will be necessary.
- Capsular contracture: While most augmentations do create some internal scarring, most patients will never know. In some situations, the hardening tissue alters the implant placement, changing the breast shape, and resulting in an undesirable outcome. If this happens, scar tissue removal surgery to clear away scarring would be necessary.
- Asymmetry: This condition occurs when the implants look uneven. This may be because the incorrect size implant was used, or because of lack of tissue on one side, or a different condition that would cause asymmetry. An assessment and diagnosis are required to determine the cause of the asymmetry, and revision surgery performed to resolve the issue and achieve a balanced look.
- Symmastia: Symmastia occurs when breast implants are too close to each other. This is usually because the breast implant chosen was the incorrect width, shape, or size. Breast revision surgery will repair this visible deformity by utilizing an implant that works your frame and looks proportionate.
- Bottoming out: This is a condition that can happen when one or both breasts drop too low. In many cases, this is a placement issue from the original surgical procedure. To correct this, a different implant placement method or tissue tightening may be considered. For some patients, tissue grafting may also be needed to surgically create a pocket to stabilize the new implant.
- Implant rippling: Implant rippling occurs when you see visible wrinkles and ripples under the skin. This deformity typically forms near the edges of the implant. Rippling is generally found in women who are very thin. Many times, this issue can be corrected by simply changing out to a silicone breast implant, changing the implant pocket, or with fat grafting.
- Breast size changes: Sometimes, breast revision surgery is as clear-cut as attaining a different size breast implant. During the first surgery, you may have gone too big or too small. A different implant size can be switched with the original to achieve the desired aesthetic goal.
