Concerning breast revision procedures, there are other reasons for wanting to exchange or remove breast implants other than breast implant deflation. The second most common reason for breast implant exchange is simply to go bigger. Initially, most “flat-chested” women ask for implants that are just a bit bigger, as after breast augmentation, many women regret not having gone bigger in the first place.
Other more serious reasons for exchanging breast implants include capsular contracture, where formation of a hard and painful scar tissue, though rare, develops around the implant. Besides having to remove this tight capsule (capsulectomy), breast implants should be changed from a smooth to textured surface to reduce the possibility of capsular contracture recurrence. Also, all breast implants are palpable to a certain degree. In extreme cases a woman can feel or even observe ripples in their breast implants. This is more common in textured and saline implants, and to a lesser degree in silicone breast implants. To address this problem plastic surgeons usually recommend exchanging saline implants to silicone; and also to move the implant from a sub-glandular location to a sub-muscular position. Breast revisions can be used also to change the shape and projection of their breasts. Larger breasts implants have a wider diameter, thus creating more cleavage. They also fill the upper pole of the breast better for those who are fairly flat on the top. High Profile Implants can change the look of the breasts from a more subtle to a perkier look.
Breast reconstruction can be performed one of three ways. The first method involves inserting a silicone prosthesis under the muscles of the chest wall to simulate the mound of a natural breast. The second method does not involve the use of silicone. In this procedure, the surgeon tunnels part of the woman’s abdominal skin and muscle upward and stitches it to the chest wall. This procedure creates two scars: one on the abdomen (the size of which may reach her “bikini line”) and the other on the chest wall. A variation of this method is performed using a portion of skin and muscle from the woman’s back, which is tunneled under her armpit area, and then stitched onto the chest wall. This leaves a scar of considerable length on the back aside from that on her chest wall. In the final method, a silicone bag is placed on the chest wall and is expanded by forcing sterilized fluid into a valve under the woman’s breast skin.
Breast reconstruction is major surgery in which the patient is placed under general anesthesia. Although the surgeon will use one of the above techniques to restore the shape and size of the reconstructed breast to its original form, nipple reconstruction generally is not part of the process. The reconstructed breast also will not have the sensitivity of a natural breast.
Many women are concerned with the evenness of their breasts after reconstructive surgery. Although a plastic surgeon cannot guarantee that the reconstructed breast will be a perfect match with the remaining breast, advancements in surgical techniques and implants make it possible to achieve a very close likeness. The surgeon can also make the breasts look balanced when a bra is worn.
If you are contemplating a mastectomy, you may want to consider simultaneous breast reconstruction during the operation, assuming you are both physically and psychologically prepared. Many women, however, prefer to have breast reconstruction some time later.
While breast reconstruction can restore a woman’s self-confidence and perceived beauty, there are a number of medical risks to consider. If you are considering breast reconstruction surgery, be sure to consult a medical professional and thoroughly examine the risks and benefits before choosing to undergo the procedure.
