Why Choose Breast Implant Revision Surgery
There are many options available to women who seek breast revision, and just as many reasons why they choose this type of surgery. Sometimes it’s a matter of preference: A breast augmentation patient may not like the look or feel of implants, or the goals she was hoping to achieve may not have been met. In other cases the initial surgery may have been disappointing, or resulted in serious side effects.
Below, experienced Bay Area plastic surgeons Dr. Alexander Ereso discusses reasons for breast revision, and the importance of matching results with patient expectations.
Repair and Replace
Breast revision becomes an imperative in cases where implants have lost integrity, drifted or caused morphological changes in surrounding tissue. Serious conditions include:
Capsular contracture, which develops when scar tissue forms around an implant. With this condition, you will initially notice a hardening of breast tissue. A visual change to the breast and even feeling pain denote a worsening of the contracture. This type of scarring can also cause an implant to rupture.
Symmastia, in which migration of the implants or improper positioning makes it look like the breasts are joined in the middle of the chest or falling off the side of the chest.
Breasts that look asymmetrical. This may have been caused by implant malposition, and was immediately obvious after surgery. It can also be the result of implants that were properly placed but have moved from their original location.
Implants that have ruptured, or whose outlines are visible or palpable. In some cases this will give the skin a “rippling” appearance.
Second Thoughts
Breast revision is also appropriate for women who decide that implants did not meet their aesthetic expectations, or felt less natural than they hoped.
When implants are removed, the pocket that held the implant must be refilled with natural tissue to restore an aesthetically pleasing profile. This involves a procedure similar to breast lift. When large implants are removed, the skin may have a stretched look; in addition, the breasts may appear to sag or have a deflated appearance.
Some women decide that saline implants feel less natural than they expected, and opt for surgery to swap saline for a silicone gel variety. Other women may have health or safety concerns about silicone gel implants, and choose fat grafting for their breast revision procedure. If you choose smaller implants, the area surrounding the new implant will need to be tightened, and skin will need to be lifted.
If you would like to learn more about breast revision, schedule a personal consultation with trusted Bay Area plastic surgeon Dr. Alexander Ereso by calling (650) 964-6600, or email their Mountain View office today.
