You have plenty of options for approaching your breast revision procedure; it just comes down to your goals and the current condition of your breasts, the skin and tissues, and the implants. Your breast revision expert will be able to create a custom plan for you at the time of your consultation, which may include one or more of the following options.
Breast Augmentation Revision in Washington, D.C.
The majority of women who have had breast augmentation love life with their new breasts. Sometimes, however, breast enhancement surgery doesn’t turn out the way you expected. Whether the changes in the appearance of your breasts are due to changes in your body or any issues related to your implants, at Center for Plastic Surgery, breast augmentation revision helps women from Washington, D.C., improve the appearance or comfort of their previously augmented breasts.
Our board-certified plastic surgeons are experienced with revising, replacing, or removing breast implants to reduce, enlarge, or reshape your breasts and address changes that have led to dissatisfaction or complications with a previous breast augmentation.
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What Are the Benefits of Breast Augmentation Revision?
Breast augmentation revision is necessary when a patient is unhappy with their results for any reason. The goal of breast augmentation revision is to help patients feel comfortable with their breasts—be it through the removal of their implants (called explantation), replacing or upgrading old implants, remedying an issue like capsular contracture, or performing additional procedures such as a breast lift. Because each case is different, the benefits of breast augmentation revision will vary depending on the specific goals and needs of the patient. Some possible benefits of breast augmentation revision include:
- Increased confidence
- A silhouette that is more to the patient’s liking
- Improved physical pain or discomfort caused by implant issues
- A more pleasing breast aesthetic
Am I a Candidate for Breast Augmentation Revision?
If you have had breast augmentation and experience any of the following, you may be a good candidate for breast implant revision surgery:
- You’d like a different size. After adjusting to breast implants for a while, women often wish they had chosen larger or smaller implants—or even a different implant material. Our surgeons can swap your current breast implants out with implants of a different size, texture, material, or profile.
- You’re unhappy. As time goes on and your unique circumstances change, you may decide you no longer wish to have breast implants. Most patients are happy with their resulting breast shape after implant removal, though results will vary based on skin elasticity and natural breast tissue. It is very common to perform breast lift surgery in combination with implant removal.
- Your implants are poorly placed. The placement of your implants can have a significant impact on your overall appearance. Poor placement of one or both implants can look unnatural and lead to dissatisfaction.
- You have rippling. In some women, particularly those with smaller frames, the edges of implants can be visible under the skin. This can occur if implants are placed in an area without adequate tissue or if a saline implant is not sufficiently filled.
- Your implants ruptured. Although rare, there is a risk of implant leakage or rupture from a significant force, which results in the immediate deflation of saline implants and a slow leak of silicone implants. Revision surgery would require the removal of the deflated implant and, if desired, the placement of new implants.
- You have capsular contracture. Improvements in both breast augmentation techniques and breast implants have decreased the occurrences of capsular contracture, but a small number of patients still experience this condition. Capsular contracture can be prompted by sensitivity, infection, and bleeding that affects internal scarring around the breast implant. This results in firmness, discomfort, and distortion of the breasts.
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What Are My Breast Augmentation Revision Options?
Explantation
Each patient will have a different idea of what they want their breasts to look and feel like, and, in some cases, this means removing their implants.
This can be for a number of reasons, all personal to the patient and her needs. During an explantation, your surgeon can remove the implant and in some cases the breast capsule (the encasing of scar tissue around the breast implant) as one unit called an en bloc capsulectomy. However, some breast implants and capsules are not in good enough condition to be removed in one piece (usually in the case of a rupture), so your surgeon will remove them in segments.
Breast Implant Revision
Breast implant revision involves removing old breast implants—those that are not satisfactory due to size or material, ruptured implants, or implants affected by another issue—and replacing them with different implants.
Breast Augmentation Revision With Breast Lift
Patients with large, heavy implants or those who have had their implants for a while will naturally experience some level of breast ptosis—just like everyone else. In some cases, heavy implants may even expedite the process, leaving patients with sagging breasts a little sooner than they’d like. This is why we often pair breast augmentation revision with a breast lift to restore a more youthful, perky profile to the patient’s breasts.
A typical example is the patient who had large implants placed when she was younger and now, later in life, wants to replace her old implants with smaller, more manageable implants while also lifting her breast tissue a little higher for a youthful result.
What Is a Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation?
An increasing number of women are looking toward a “natural” augmentation rather than traditional silicone or saline breast implants. If you are ready to remove your breast implants but don’t want to be left with little to no breast tissue, you may be interested in breast augmentation with fat transfer.
During this procedure, your surgeon will first use liposuction to remove excess fat from a donor area of the body (commonly the hips, thighs, or abdomen) and then transfer the purified fat into the breasts, resulting in an increase of a little over one cup size. Paired with a breast lift, patients get as close to a naturally youthful, perky chest as you can get!
Candidates for Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation
Keep in mind that fat transfer breast augmentation may not be for everyone, as candidates should:
- Have enough donor fat in another area of the body to harvest safely
- Want only a modest increase in breast size
- Have good skin elasticity
- Want a more natural increase in size and shape
What Is a Hybrid Breast Augmentation?
The possibilities continue, as you also have the option of combining your breast augmentation revision via implant replacement and fat transfer. This means that your surgeon can replace your old implants with another pair and utilize the same fat transfer process as natural breast augmentation to smooth out the contours of the breast tissue, creating a seamless appearance without the risk of rippling or visible edges.
This option is fantastic for women with thinner breast skin, as they are more at risk of the implant being visible beneath the skin.
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How Is Breast Augmentation Revision Performed?
Your Breast Augmentation Revision Consultation
At CPS, our consultations are always crucial to ensuring a productive and satisfactory surgical process, but even more so with breast augmentation revision, as each case is vastly different. It’s essential that our surgeons meet with their patients to not only listen to their goals and concerns for the procedure but also to examine the condition of their breasts in order to determine the best course of action to reach those goals.
During your complimentary consultation, we will work closely with you to determine the best treatment plan. We will also provide in-depth aftercare and recovery information based on your unique procedure.
The Breast Augmentation Revision Procedure
Your revision augmentation surgery experience will depend on your unique circumstances. Generally, patients will be placed under general anesthesia for their comfort during the length of the procedure. The length and complexity of the individual procedure will depend on the goals for the procedure and the relative state of the breasts and implants.
For example, if you wish to have your implants removed, the length of surgery, downtime, and discomfort after surgery should be minimal. In some cases, our surgeons can even remove your old implants under local anesthesia in our office. Addressing capsular contracture, on the other hand, is a slightly more involved procedure with a recovery period similar to that of breast augmentation.
After your breast augmentation revision consultation, your surgeon will provide you with an estimate of the length and complexity of your surgery.
What Can I Expect From Breast Augmentation Revision Recovery?
Bear in mind that breast augmentation revision surgery recovery is very similar to breast augmentation recovery, with some key differences. If you had a capsulectomy along with your revision, you may experience more swelling and discomfort than with a primary augmentation. Your surgeon will provide you with a detailed aftercare plan and recovery instructions, which may include the following:
- To avoid strenuous activity for at least six weeks
- Be cautious when lifting your arms or bending over
- To have help the first night and to take all your medications
All patients are different—each with a different healing process and slightly different timelines for recovery. This is especially true of breast augmentation revision, as each procedure will be specifically tailored to the patient’s needs and condition. Below is a general timeline of breast augmentation revision recovery.
Breast Augmentation Revision Recovery Timeline
Week One:
- Bruising and swelling are at their peak
- Dressing removal
- Take a shower
Weeks Two – Four
- Return to work, school, and non strenuous activities
- Bruising and swelling should be improving
Month Two:
- Resume strenuous exercise
- Ready to sleep on your side
- Implants settle (drop and fluff)
Month Three and Beyond:
- Near full recovery
- Final results
- Scars fade
How Much Does Breast Augmentation Revision Cost?
The cost for breast implant removal (explant surgery) in Washington, D.C., starts at $5,000. The cost for capsulotomy (opening the scar tissue surrounding the implant) with implant exchange begins at $7,500 and varies with your choice of implants and individual factors. Because the needs of breast revision patients vary so widely, it’s best to come in for a consultation and get a personalized price estimate for your procedure.
Breast Augmentation Revision Frequently Asked Questions
Where will my scars be after my breast augmentation revision?
This depends on the specifics of your surgical plan. If possible, your surgeon will place your incisions over the original scars—but only if it makes sense for the surgery. In many cases, an inframammary incision is used, so if your original incision is also on that line, then you won’t have a second scar.
Our surgeons understand the importance of reducing the appearance of scars and do everything within their control to minimize this risk. But scars are always a fact of surgery, so be sure to discuss the possibilities with your surgeon during your consultation.
Can I combine my breast augmentation revision with any other procedures?
If your surgery is not too complex, won’t require a very long operation, and your surgeon agrees it is safe to do so, then yes. Some patients opt to combine their breast augmentation revision procedure with a tummy tuck and/or liposuction for a Mommy Makeover. If you’re interested in combining procedures, discuss your ideas and goals with your surgeon during your consultation.
How long will my breast revision results last?
If you are undergoing a breast augmentation revision by replacing your implants, then ideally, your results will last as long as the implants themselves, roughly 10–15 years. The results of your breast lift depend on a number of factors, but you should have a number of years to enjoy your newly perky, youthful breasts.
Of course, your body will continue to age naturally, although the results of your breast augmentation revision will give you plenty of time to enjoy your results.
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Interested in Breast Augmentation Revision in Washington, D.C.?
If you would like to learn more about how breast augmentation revision can give you the look you’ve always wanted and boost your self-confidence, fill out our online contact form or call Center for Plastic Surgery today at (301) 652-7700 (Chevy Chase) or (703) 560-2850 (Tysons Corner).