Breast Revision
Conveniently located to serve the areas of West Covina, CA
Breast augmentation is one of the most popular forms of cosmetic plastic surgery in the world and with the popularity of breast augmentation surgery, it is inevitable that there will be some women who want or need a revision.
At Shine Cosmetic Surgery, Dr. Daniel H. Lin finds that most women are happy with their breast augmentation results however he often treats women who have had a bad experience with their original breast augmentation elsewhere. While there are many qualified surgeons around the county completing breast augmentations satisfactorily every day, unfortunately some doctors who perform breast augmentation do not have the training or skills necessary to achieve the best results.
Besides dissatisfaction with their original breast augmentation there are other reasons women seek breast implant revision surgery including:
- Appearance
- Different size
- Different type of implant
- To correct implant problems
Whatever the reason, each breast revision surgery performed at Shine Cosmetic Surgery is tailored to meet your individual needs and the specific technique used will depend on the concern or concerns you have that need corrected. Although breast augmentation revision and breast augmentation have many similarities, they also have many differences. Breast augmentation revision is generally more complex than primary breast augmentation and because of this, it is crucial that during you consultation with Dr. Lin you spend the necessary time discussing your case to ensure that your breast revision gives you the results you desire. Dr. Lin understands that the patient/doctor relationship is critical to the success of any surgery and he will help you feel confident about voicing all of your questions and concerns.
The different procedures used in breast implant revision surgery are dependent on the complexity of your specific case. Multiple problems may require the use of various surgical techniques to restore a more natural appearing breast and Dr. Lin will spend as much time as necessary to educate you regarding your full range of implant choices. Breast implant revision surgery that involves exchanging implants for new implants with a different fill, size, profile, and texture can be considered straightforward because Dr. Lin does not need to perform any major work on the existing pockets. In this procedure, your surgery and recovery may be quick and similar to your original breast augmentation. In other cases, if your surgery is complicated, the procedure will take longer and your recovery may be more involved. In more complex types of surgery, Dr. Lin may need to perform some corrective surgery in addition to the implant exchange and some examples of more complex breast augmentation revisions include:
- Symmastia: Symmastia occurs when two implants touch one another in the center of the chest. Correcting symmastia can involve extensive work to the existing pockets to ensure that the implants remain where they are supposed to as they heal.
- Capsular Contractures: The body normally forms a layer of scar tissue to hold the implant in place after augmentation known as the implant “capsule.” Usually, this layer is soft, pliable, and cannot be felt but in some cases, it can become thicker and less elastic. The amount of scar tissue in the capsule and its thickness will determine how hard the breast will feel. Correcting capsular contracture may involve completely removing the capsule (capsulectomy) and moving the implants from the current position above or below the muscle to a new pocket.
- Changes in Breast Tissue: It is not uncommon for a patient’s breasts to go though changes after a breast augmentation. Surgical correction may involve altering the capsules, changing the position of the implant, changing the implants themselves, and tightening the breast tissues.
- Implant Coverage Problems: If the breast tissue covering the implant is too thin, rippling can appear through the skin referred to as traction ripples. These are typically seen in implants placed above the muscle and treatment is focused on trying to provide a thicker coverage that can be attained by moving above muscle implants to partially below the muscle, called a site change.
- Bottoming Out: The term bottoming out means the inferior migration of augmented implants and one reason for this condition is the malposition of the implants. This means that the implants are placed too low during the original augmentation and the inframammary folds open and the implants fall right after surgery.
- Double Bubble: Double bubble is a descriptive term for a postsurgical complication that can occur after breast augmentation with breast implants. This condition occurs when an implant drops behind the natural fold (inframammary crease) where the lower breast meets the chest, rather than forward into the breast. This shifting creates an unnatural indentation or line across the bottom (lower pole) of the breast and when seen in profile, double bubble is said to have a “four-breast effect.” Fortunately, double bubble is a relatively rare complication that is correctable in most cases.
- Changing to a Smaller Implant: Some patients choose to decrease their implant size after their initial surgery and if a patient chooses to do this, it is not as simple as placing a new implant. The capsule that surrounds the implant may need to be tightened with internal suturing (capsulorrhaphy) and the skin may need to be tightened or lifted.
- Breast Implant Deflation: Saline implants can leak or “rupture” and treatment includes removing the deflated implant and replacing it with the same or different size.
- Implant Malposition: The capsule that surrounds the implant ideally allows enough room for a soft and natural feeling breast but if it is too large, it will allow the implant to move farther than it should leading to implant malposition. Treatment involves repairing it with either internal sutures or a breast lift.
Any surgical procedure should be considered carefully and a breast augmentation revision procedure, no matter how simple, is still surgery. As a breast augmentation surgeon, Dr. Lin will help you make the best decisions and he will only perform revision breast augmentation after the long-term benefits and risks associated with revision surgery have been fully discussed. Dr. Lin’s ultimate goal when performing your breast implant revision surgery is to restore your natural appearing breasts while giving you long-lasting results. If you have had a previous breast augmentation surgery (augmentation mammoplasty) and you are dissatisfied with the results, Dr. Lin is a specialist in breast enhancement surgery and he has helped many patients achieve satisfying results.
To learn more about breast implant revision, call Shine Cosmetic Surgery today and discover that from the moment you enter our doors, you will be treated with compassion, respect, and exceptional care.