Breast Revision
At some stage after the initial breast augmentation cosmetic surgery, the patient may require breast implant revision. In most cases, breast revision involves the replacement of old or damaged implants with new ones. But, sometimes implant removal may be required.
Such revision procedures may also be performed in combination with a breast lift surgery to restore the breasts to their original shape.
Plastic surgeon Dr. Paul McCluskey provides breast implant revision surgery to patients in Atlanta, Buckhead, Georgia, and surrounding locations.
Need for Breast Revision
Patients may seek breast revision surgery after the primary breast enhancement procedure for the following reasons:
Need to Change Size
A woman may want to alter her breast size to make them bigger or smaller. She may want enhancement in the shape and proportion of her current breasts. The desire to change breast size is one of the most common reasons for breast implant procedures in the United States.
Issues in the Implant
Capsular contracture may occur around the implants causing them to become very taut, or damaged, or they may lose their original shape.
In case the implants rupture at some stage, they may need replacement. Sometimes the implants might take on a rippled appearance, which requires correction.
Implant Pocket Issues
A problem with the implant pocket can cause the implants to appear widely spaced apart, or they might move towards the armpit when the patient lies down. This may require revision plastic surgery to correct the implant pocket or replace old implants with new, more appropriate ones.
Establishing the New Implant Size
Patients who want larger sized implants can preview the shape and size of these new implants in a sports bra or t-shirt. Placing an air-filled sizer over the current breast can help attain this appearance to allow the patient to better understand the potential results of the surgery.
Women seeking smaller implants will also have various options to choose from. In case the patient currently has saline implants, the breast surgeon may initially perform a pre-operative deflation of these implants. This will allow the patient to “try on” the new implant and choose the most appropriate size prior to the breast revision cosmetic surgery.
Correcting Implant Hardness
Certain patients may want to retain the implants after the implant’s hardness is addressed. The surgeon may correct this condition by eliminating the scar tissue layer in a procedure known as capsulectomy. This procedure involves the removal of abnormal scar tissue or breast capsule while not disturbing the healthy breast tissue.
Once the hardened scar tissue is removed, the implant will not constrict into a hard and unnatural shape. The breast will feel soft and more comfortable again.
The removal of implants may involve a slightly extended downtime as the surgeon might need to perform it along with a breast lift. Most women can resume their routine activities in one or two weeks after the revision surgery.
Plastic surgeon Dr. Paul McCluskey receives patients from Atlanta, Buckhead, Georgia, and nearby areas for breast implant revision surgery.
For more information on procedures and treatments offered by Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Paul McCluskey and the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta, visit:
Serving patients in and around Atlanta, Buckhead, Roswell, Marietta, Georgia and surrounding areas.