Breast Implant Revision | Renew Your Confidence

The best candidates for breast implant revision have already undergone breast augmentation but may not feel that their results matched their expectations. This can happen if implants shift out of position, or if one implant leaks or ruptures. Breast implant revision can also be performed to correct capsular contracture, the presence of excess scar tissue around the breast implants. Some women may pursue implant revision surgery because they change their mind about the implant size or type they currently have. Revision surgery can also be performed to improve age-related or pregnancy-related changes in augmented breasts. The best candidates for a breast revision are women who are in good physical and mental health and have realistic expectations about the results they can hope to see after a revision procedure.

Breast asymmetry can occur in women that receive breast implants, sometimes as the result of poor surgical technique but often simply due to a difference in the way implants settled after surgery. Existing asymmetry that was present before getting breast implants may also be exaggerated afterward if the proper steps were not taken during augmentation. Breast implant revision can remove one or both implants, sometimes in combination with a breast lift, to restore a natural balance to your figure.

The hardening of the scar tissue that surrounds the implants is known as capsular contracture, and is one of the main reasons women schedule revision surgery. There are four different grades of capsular contracture, and breasts that become hard or painful to the touch are symptomatic of the most serious grade. If you notice these symptoms in your own breasts, it’s likely that scar tissue needs to be removed and your implants should be replaced.

Breast implants don’t generally need to be replaced unless there’s a specific reason to do so, such as a rupture or the formation of capsular contracture. Regular mammograms should be scheduled to determine that the implant shell remains stable, but unless you’ve noticed a change in appearance or physical discomfort associated with your implants, you should be fine to continue using them. Unless, of course, you’d prefer to move to a larger or smaller implant size for cosmetic reasons, in which case revision surgery can help.

Worrying that augmentation revision still might not help you meet your goals is completely understandable. Breast implant revision can correct many cosmetic issues related to your breast augmentation like size or symmetry, and even some medical concerns like capsular contracture. However, the goal of any cosmetic procedure is improvement rather than perfection, and that holds true for implant revision too. Having realistic expectations is an important part of feeling happy with your results, so it’s important to discuss your goals with your plastic surgeon to find out what level of improvement you can hope to achieve with breast implant revision.

While non-reconstructive breast augmentation is considered cosmetic and therefore elective, breast implant revision is unique in that it is sometimes covered by health insurance providers if done for medical reasons. These can include capsular contracture, breast implant rupture or contour irregularities that may occur after surgery. However, the coverage itself will vary greatly from provider to provider, so you’ll need to check the specifics of your policy ahead of time. The Ditesheim Cosmetic Surgery team will work with you to provide any documentation you need for your insurance company.

Like your initial breast augmentation, seeing the final results from your breast implant revision will take some time. Your new look may be disguised by swelling and bruising at first, although many woman say recovery from revision surgery is faster and easier than their first breast augmentation. You should see an improvement in your appearance fairly soon after surgery, with your final results developing over the next few months.