Breast Implant Revision
Globally Renowned Anti-Aging Experts
Breast Implant Revision in Los Angeles, Orange County and San Francisco
As with any plastic surgery procedure, women who choose to undergo breast augmentation may face some rare complications. While the FDA approves all breast implants used in the United States, certain complications can alter the appearance of your breast or result in an unnatural look or feel.
Wave Plastic Surgery Corrects Breast Implant Malfunctions
In cases where there are problems or concerns with the breast or breast implant following surgery, we can perform a breast implant revision.
Some complications that can occur following a breast augmentation procedure include:
Women may also choose to undergo revision surgery for non-complication related issues such as to change the size of their breast implant, maintain a youthful appearance throughout the body’s natural aging process, or upgrade to a newer type of implant such as silicone gummy bear implants.
Because breast implants are not meant to last forever, we often see women come in roughly ten years after their initial breast augmentation for a revision procedure. As a woman’s natural breast tissue begins to sag with age, she may choose to have revision breast surgery and maybe a breast lift to maintain a youthful appearance.
How We Will Perform a Breast Revision Procedure
If you are concerned with any complications associated with one of your breast implants, it is important to come in for a consultation as soon as possible. Early treatment can prevent any unnecessary side effects and have you back to enjoying natural-looking results.
If one of your implants is defective, we will proceed to remove the implant and replace it with a new one. We will likely use the same incision locations made during your initial breast augmentation and will place the new breast implant in the same pocket unless otherwise needed. If you are simply exchanging your breast implants for a new size, shape or material, we will remove your old implants and replace them with your new choice. A new incision pattern or placement may be needed if you are changing to a significantly different size.
With breast implant revision surgery, you can maintain naturally younger looking breasts as you age.
Get Your Consultation Today
Give us a call today to schedule a consultation with one of the plastic surgery experts at Wave Plastic Surgery to learn more about the procedure and the thread face lift cost.
Breast Implant Rippling
Implant rippling happens when the edges, folds, and wrinkles of the breast implants can be seen or felt through the skin. Rippling often occurs around the cleavage and the sides of the implant. Implant rippling is most common with saline implants, but silicone-gel implants can also develop ripples.
An estimated 10% of individuals who have breast implants experience rippling (grade 2 or higher). However, not all cases are deemed severe enough to necessitate breast implant revision.
Causes of Implant Rippling
Almost all implants ripple, but not all ripples are visible. Rippling can be exacerbated by the following factors:
- Tissue and Body Fat: Petite women or women who have low body fat and thin breast tissue are more likely to experience implant rippling.
- Large Pocket: If the pocket created for the implant is too large, the implant is able to shift. This can cause the edges of the implant to show through the skin and make rippling more visible.
- Implant Placement: Implant rippling is more likely to occur when the implant is placed over the pectoral muscle rather than below the muscle.
- Implant Shape: Round implants are more likely to ripple than tear-drop shaped implants.
Treatment for Implant Rippling
Rippling occurs when folds in breast implants become visible or can be felt to the touch. In order to correct this issue, one of our plastic surgeons can either use a fat transfer technique to cushion the area or they can perform breast implant revision surgery to correct the cause of the rippling.
The fat transfer technique involves using liposuction to remove fat from one area of your body, such as the abdomen, double purifying the fat, and carefully injecting it into the breasts as a natural dermal filler.
Breast implant revision can be performed using a variety of different surgical techniques based on the patient’s needs. Our surgeon may replace the current implants with a more appropriate size, alter the size of the breast implant pocket, place the implant under the muscle, or add a dermal or synthetic matrix to the implant pocket to help to support the natural tissues.
Breast Implant Rupture and Leakage
The most common sign of breast implant rupture is a change in the shape or size of the breast. Other signs may include pain, tenderness, or changes in sensation. In some cases, there may be no signs or symptoms at all.
Causes of Breast Implant Rupture
There are several common causes for a breast implant rupture. These include:
- Capsular Contracture: Capsular contracture is a situation where the tissue that surrounds the implant becomes hard and thick. If they become severe, they may compress the envelope of the implant enough, over time, to cause a leak.
- Trauma: Typically, even a very hard compression to the implant, will not cause a rupture. However high impact situations, like car accidents can.
- Changes in Implant Composition: In some patients, with unknown cause, the shell of the implant can become thin with time causing leakage.
Treatment for Breast Implant Ruptures
If you think you may have a ruptured breast implant, it is important to see your doctor as soon as possible. They will perform an examination and may order additional tests, such as an MRI, to confirm the diagnosis. Treatment typically involves surgically removing the implant and any surrounding scar tissue. In some cases, a new implant may be placed.
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Symmastia
Symmastia is a rare breast implant complication that occurs when the skin and muscle between the breasts over the breastbone detach and the pockets of tissue that hold the breast implants form one pocket. This causes the implants to merge together in the middle, creating the appearance of a single breast or “uniboob.”
Causes of Symmastia
Symmastia can occur in women who have had a mastectomy because the surgeon may have removed too much tissue from the area near the sternum.
In other cases, the implants may have been too large for the implant pocket. If a breast implant pocket is too small, it places more tension on the skin attached to the sternum that holds the implant. This can cause a detachment of this skin and tissue from the breast bone in the center of the chest.
Symmastia Correction
Symmastia can be difficult to correct and may require multiple surgeries. If the cause of the complication was that the implant was too large for the pocket, a surgeon can remove the implants and replacing them with smaller ones. A plastic surgeon can also reattach the skin to the sternum and reinforce the implant pockets using a dermal matrix product or mesh to hold the implants in place.
Get Your Consultation Today
Give us a call today to schedule your consultation with one of our plastic surgeons at Wave Plastic Surgery.
Capsular Contracture
An infrequent, but important complication after breast implant placement, either after mastectomy or cosmetic augmentation, is the development of hardness around the implant called Capsular Contracture.
When a foreign substance, such as an implant, is placed into a human body, there is always a fibrous reaction. The implant is surrounded by this fibrous tissue called a Capsule. This capsule is usually very thin, soft, and unnoticeable to touch, feel, or sight.
However, in rare situations, the capsule can become thicker, harder, and contract. This can lead to discomfort and changes to the appearance of the breasts and pain. Some people choose to live with these symptoms, however, if the symptoms progress, treatments should be considered.
Because this is a medical condition, insurance may cover some of the cost of this procedure, if not all, depending on the carrier.
The Baker Classification for Capsular Contracture
There is a severity grading system from 1-4, depending on the severity.
If the Capsular Contracture is mild, a medical trial can be attempted such as utilizing leukotriene antagonist such as Accolade. However, if the capsular contracture is severe, surgical treatment is the only option.
Causes of Capsular Contracture
Although the exact cause of capsular contracture is unknown, the current understanding is that it stems from an abnormal inflammatory response to the implant. The goal of surgery is to remove all of the capsule and either place a new implant into a new pocket or remove the implant all together.
Capsular Contracture Treatment
If all of the capsules can be removed, and new implant is placed, we add tissue called acellular dermal matrix to minimize the chances of the capsular contracture forming again. If new implant is not considered, some patients may choose fat grafting in the future as another method to augment the breast.
WAVE Plastic Surgery Can Help
Breast implants are not meant to last a lifetime. Over time, they may break down and need to be replaced. If you have had breast implants for many years, it is important to monitor them closely and see your doctor regularly for checkups. It is also important to know what specific implant you had, since most companies have some degree of warranty on the product.
If you have any questions or concerns about breast implants, be sure to talk to your doctor. They can help you make an informed decision and whether any intervention is needed.
Our Breast Augmentation Specialists
Peter Lee
M.D., F.A.C.S.
Dr. Peter is CEO and Chief Surgeon of WAVE Plastic Surgery Center with over 20 years of plastic surgery experience, overlooking 30K+ successful plastic surgery cases. He has mentored master surgeons around the world in state-of-the-art techniques, and has been inducted into the RealSelf 100 & 500 Hall of Fame.
His many accolades and shining results are evidence of Peter’s expertise.
JONATHAN SHIFREN
M.D., F.A.C.S.
The foundations of Dr. Jonathan Shifren’s practice are beauty, quality and value. He treats each patient as a member of his own family.
He believes that superior surgery is a process, not an operation. It actually begins with an initial consultation, where surgical options are tailored to the patient’s individual anatomy and goals. In the operating room, our shared vision comes to life through precise execution and meticulous technique. Surgery is not over when the operation is completed.
Ben Lee
M.D., F.A.C.S.
Throughout 20+ years in aesthetic plastic surgery, Dr. Ben Lee has always been passionate about using his skills to impart a lasting, positive impact on the lives of his patients.
“Time and time again, I have witnessed dramatic improvements in a patient’s confidence and well-being after a relatively minor cosmetic or reconstructive procedure. As a surgeon, that brings me great joy.” — Dr. Ben Lee
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Medcially Reviewed By Dr. Ben Lee
Proudly using his creativity to help patients regain a sense of wholeness and confidence, Dr. Ben Lee takes a very patient-centered approach to care.
