Every year, Dr. Brucker sees many women for breast revision surgery. Most have had an initial breast augmentation with another plastic surgeon and they are referred to Dr. Brucker by friends, family members, or other doctors because of his reputation, skill and years of experience. One of the reasons that women come to Dr. Brucker for a breast revision is because their implants have shifted, or they are experiencing what is also called implant displacement due to an overly dissected breast pocket, implants that are too large for their bodies, capsular contracture, or for pre-existing anatomical abnormalities. While it’s normal and expected for there to be a waiting period for breast implants to settle after a breast augmentation, what would make a breast revision is necessary? Read on to learn more.
Breast Implants Can Shift In a Variety of Ways
Dr. Brucker explains that breast implants can shift in any direction and can affect one or both of your breasts. Types of implant displacement include:
Lateral Displacement
With lateral breast implant displacement, your breast implant or implants move towards the armpit and this is sometimes uncomfortable for the patient.
Bottoming Out
As we mentioned earlier, it’s natural and anticipated that breast implants will slightly drop after your breast augmentation surgery. But if your implants are bottomed out, they will have dropped way beyond what is expected to the point where your nipples appear to be sitting too high on the breast mound.
High Riding
Many women from La Jolla who get breast augmentation surgery will have implants that appear high immediately after surgery due to tighness of the pectoralis muscle and skin. But, if after several months post-operatively your implants have not dropped, you could have high riding implants that look unnaturally full in the upper part of the breasts.
Synmastia
Synmastia, or tenting, (also known as “uniboob”) is a condition where the separation between the two breasts is compromised or lost due to overdissection or placement of overly large implants, giving the appearance that you have one, large breast.
Capsular Contracture
Capsular contracture is a condition where excessive scar tissue forms around one or both implants and can give your breasts a misshapen, asymmetrical appearance. One or both breasts can feel unusually firm.
Signs That Your Breast Implants Have Shifted
Signs that your breast implants have displaced and that you need a breast revision are:
- Your breasts either look visually different from left to right or feel different to the touch;
- Your breasts were symmetrical right after surgery, but are now asymmetrical;
- Your nipples show out of the top of a bra or bikini top; and/or
- Your breasts feel uncomfortable when lying down or standing up.
How Dr. Brucker Revises Displaced Breast Implants
Because there are different ways and reasons that implants can shift, there are also several different procedures that Dr. Brucker can perform on women to address this problem. If the cause was due to an over-dissected breast pocket, Dr. Brucker will repair the breast implant pocket, making it the perfect size for your implants. If your shifted implants were caused by implants that were too big for your body, Dr. Brucker will suggest an implant shape and size that better complements your physique, again making appropriate surgical adjustments to one or both breast pockets. And if your breast implants have shifted due to your unique anatomy, such as a chest wall deformity, Dr. Brucker will discuss his recommended treatment plan for you.
Contact Us to Talk About Breast Revision Surgery
Feeling self-conscious due to implants that don’t look symmetrical is a common concern we see in our practice. If you have implants that have been displaced, schedule a breast revision consultation to talk to Dr. Brucker about your options at (858) 707-7517.