Common Reasons for Breast Implant Revision Surgery

Many women find that breast augmentation positively transforms their self-image, boosting their confidence and enhancing their overall well-being. With newer implant technologies and better techniques, plastic surgeons performing breast augmentation surgery in NYC provide customized solutions to help patients achieve their specific aesthetic goals.

However, individual circumstances may change over time, leading women to seek adjustments or revisions to their breast implants. Whether it’s the result of new aesthetic preferences, implant-related issues, or changes in personal goals, breast implant revision offers a solution to address these concerns and enhance satisfaction.

Breast augmentation is most popular surgical procedure among women, with 2.2 million procedures and a significant increase of 29% compared to 2021, according to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) All breast procedures showed notable growth with more than 4.4 million breast treatments in 2021, a 25% increase from the previous year.

Breast Augmentation Surgery in NYC

Breast augmentation improves breast size and contour using FDA-approved implants. An incision is made under the breast, around the areola, or in the armpit to place the implant beneath the chest muscle or behind the breast tissue.

Breast augmentation revision is performed to replace old implants with new implants. As American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) explains, it is also done to change or improve the appearance of the breasts while updating the implant material, and could include:

• Simultaneous breast lift or reduction
• Reshaping the implant pocket to reposition the implant on the chest
• Increasing or decreasing the size, shape or style of the implant

Reasons to Have Breast Implant Revision Surgery

• Too large or too small breasts: Women may desire a change in their breast size well after their initial procedure due to a new trend or implant. While patients previously chose large, dramatic-looking breast implants, today, many women are requesting natural-looking smaller-size implants so that their breasts do not look surgically enhanced. When a change in size is required, replacement or revision is unavoidable.
• Deflation or rupture: While modern saline and silicone implants rupture or deflate very rarely, revision surgery will be needed if this happens. While saline is sterile and absorbed by the body, silicone gel can leak into the breast tissue or even other parts of the body. In conventional silicone gel implants, leaks involve “silent rupture” and can be detected only by an MRI scan. On the other hand, with the newer IDEAL implants, women can detect rupture by simply looking in the mirror.
• Pain or discomfort: Pain or discomfort following an initial breast augmentation procedure is the most urgent indicator that a patient may require breast revision surgery. Concerns include:
  • The breasts hurt or are particularly sensitive to touch.
  • Redness or burning feeling on the skin surrounding the breasts
  • Unusual swelling or increased rigidity

  All of these issues can be rectified with breast revision surgery.

• Capsule contracture: If scar tissue forms around the breast, it can harden and change position and/or shape of the implant. Revision surgery can address this concern.
• Aging: The natural effects of aging such as increased skin laxity, changes in body weight, and hormonal shifts can affect the appearance of breasts that have undergone augmentation.
• To switch from saline implants to silicone implants: Women may get breast revision to change the type of breast implant they have. New devices are more stable than saline implants and include high-strength silicone gel that is less prone to rippling.
• Dissatisfaction with initial results: Women may opt for revision surgery if they are not satisfied with the results of their primary breast augmentation.
• Implant displacement: Implants can drift out of their optimal position if the pocket that holds the implant is too large. In some cases, the tissue becomes too weak to support the implants, causing them to move out of the breast pocket. Revision surgery can correct the size of the pocket to properly hold the implant.

Besides these factors, health risks and complications can lead to the need for a breast augmentation revision.

Breast implant revision surgery is not a standard or routine procedure and needs to be customized to meet individual goals. A 2011 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) report on the safety of silicone implants stated that one out of five patients would need a replacement or revision after 10 years. An ASPS report published in January 2018 noted that the FDA statistics should put women’s minds at ease rather than cause alarm as it means that while “one out of five patients need a replacement or revision after 10 years that means four in five are still enjoying the benefits of their implants 10 years after receiving them”.

Choosing an AAAASF-accredited plastic surgery practice for breast implant surgery in NYC is crucial for a comfortable surgical experience. In leading practices, plastic surgeons also provide breast implant replacement and related procedures for patients in need of revision surgery.