Breast Implant Revision Surgery

When it comes to improving your body aesthetics, medical science has not left any stone unturned to give you your desired results. From Botox to liposuction, there is hardly a part of your body that cannot be modified with modern science.

One of the most in-demand aesthetic surgeries among women in this field is breast augmentation. The shape of your breasts, which is a primary attribute in women, can be the reason for the lack or presence of your confidence in your appearance.

As such, more and more women are experimenting with their breasts and discovering the possibilities of their augmentations. But since this is a fairly expensive affair, it is of utmost importance that you research every little detail about it before opting for it.

What is Breast Implant Revision Surgery?

Many people confuse breast implant revision surgery as a process of increasing the volume of your breasts. While this can definitely add volume to your breasts, but this process is more than just that.

This refers to a surgery that is used to replace your old breast implants with new implants. It also aids in improving, as in re-shaping the appearance of your breasts. To put it simply, it can help you decrease (reduction) or increase (lift) the size of your breast implants.

Whether you want to change up the shape and size of your breasts or you want to shift from a silicone breast implant to a saline breast implant, this surgery has got you covered. In fact, it can also address the issue of correcting various implant-based problems such as that of an implant rupture or leak or capsular contracture.

In addition, it is also used to rectify symmastia (uniboob), wherein the breast implants are positioned so close to each other (in an effort to give the illusion of a prominent cleavage) that the muscle and skin between the two breasts detaches. As a result, instead of two different pockets of tissue that hold the implants turn into one single pocket.

Needless to say, it is an extremely complex process. With more advances in technology and medical sciences every single day, the precision and perfection of your desired breasts are now possible more than ever before.  Get yourself an appointment in a reputed plastic surgery clinic of a medical institute if you want to undergo this process.

Who is a Good Candidate for Breast Implant Revision Surgery?

Now, you may be wondering how to assess when to opt for a breast implant revision surgery. Should you just do it when you feel the necessity to change your appearance?

Well… obviously, yes, but there are prominent signals that your current implants would give you that should serve you as a reminder that it is time for a change. Let us find out about them.

As the implants sit on your chest for a period of time, they can also sag similar to your natural breasts. This means over the years, your breast implants will change their shapes.

In fact, if you lose or gain too much weight, it can have an impact on the overlying breast tissues. Sometimes, with large breast implants, breast tissues get flattened due to too much pressure. As such, it can dramatically change the appearance of your breast from the first time you got those implants.

Other than these issues, if you are overall unsatisfied with the size, shape, condition, feel, or overall appearance of your implants, then don’t hesitate to go for a breast implant revision surgery.

Ideally, it is stated that anyone who is physically stable and has no active medical issues can be a candidate for this procedure. If you are a non-smoker and have a stable weight, the chances of success from this surgery multiply.

In addition, if your saline breast implants start deflating or your silicone implant has a shell leak (which can be determined through an MRI or X-ray), then also you should consider a breast implant revision surgery.

Finally, if you want to permanently remove your implants, then also this surgery can help you.

Things to do discuss During Consultation

It is extremely important to keep your expectation from a breast implant surgery realistic. Strive for positivity, but also try and stay under the realm of realistic expectations. And an experienced plastic surgeon will help you in giving clarity about the same.

Let your surgeon know about your entire medical history. This should cover major illness to small allergies as well as a detailed record of your breast augmentation procedure. Ideally, we recommend getting it done by the same surgeon who did your breast augmentation in the first place since they would be familiar with your body.

But in case they are unavailable or you want a better and different plastic surgeon, make sure to narrate and provide a record of the entire augmentation process.

Based on your body’s natural characteristics, your surgeon will map out the best route of how to undertake the procedure and how capable your body is of enduring the procedure. Feel free to get a consultation from our certified surgeon.

Depending on where you are getting your breast implants from and the manufacturer of your breast implants, the warranty may differ. Some breast implants come with a 10-year warranty; some come with a 20-year warranty, and so on.

This should be taken into consideration since if you are considering a breast implant revision surgery, then you may as well make sure you are doing it before the warranty period ends. This is because the revision surgery is often covered in the warranty terms and clauses. So, make sure to ask your plastic surgeon thorough details about it.

Furthermore, ask your surgeon about the recovery period, the things that you should and shouldn’t do before or after the procedure. Reviewing before and after photographs of your breasts with the doctor would also help in assessing what you want to achieve from the process. You can also ask to see the accreditation of the medical facility.

Longevity of Breast Implants

Most breast implants generally last for about a decade. Risks with implants increase with every passing year and they shouldn’t be treated as a lifetime device.

Even after 10 years, you feel fine with your implants, it is recommended to go for a revision. It can be a change of size, a simple lift, or anything. As per the FDA guidelines, you should do an MRI of your breast implants three years after the surgery and every two years from there on out to check if there is any silent rupture or not.

In addition, after the age of 40, you should mammograms on an annual basis to take note of the development of breast cancer.

Recovery Period

The recovery period varies from individual to individual depending on the extent of the surgery. Tiny tubes might be temporarily placed under the skin of the treated area along with dressings on your incision that will be replaced with a super supportive bra the next day.

The drains might be asked to be kept for a few days depending on how much output is produced in the first 24 hours. Taking a week off from physical activities and work is recommended. Avoid any heavy activity for six weeks.

Also, you may or may not be given prescription painkillers. All the other information on how to take care of the incisions will be given out by your surgeon.

Commit to all the follow-up appointments and if any scar therapies are recommended to you, go through them. Some people develop an infection from the incisions and antibiotics are prescribed to them. If you happen to be one of them, do as your surgeon asks you to.

It is completely normal if your body responds to the surgery by forming a capsule or a soft, subtle layer of scar tissue around your implants. This is merely due to the fact that this is a foreign object. In most cases, the capsule continues to remain soft and you won’t even notice it.

However, if you find your capsule getting inflamed, then it may lead to capsular contracture. The same happens when the scar tissues begin to contract.

Conclusion

The most important aspect that you need to bear in mind is that breast implant revision surgery is a complex process. Yes, it has been designed to help you get your desired look, but it needs to take into consideration various pre-existing medical complications so that the procedure can be carried out in a safe manner.

This is the reason we can’t stress enough the importance of availing this type of surgery from only reputed and certified medical establishments. The presence of skilled and experienced plastic surgeons along with modern-age equipment will help bridge the gap between your dream and reality.

So, don’t shy away from getting your desired breast shape and size but keep in mind the intricacies of a breast implant revision surgery and always ensure you are doing it in a safe environment under the strict supervision of trained professionals.

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3685325/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14646644/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482206/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19055970/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19055970/