Why Do Women Have Breast Revision Surgery?

Breast augmentation is the most popular cosmetic surgery in America, with over 300,000 procedures performed each year. As you might imagine, many women who have breast augmentation often need follow-up procedures. A recent article in the Cosmetic Surgery Times has highlighted some of the reasons that women decide to have their implants replaced. According to Canadian surgeon Mitchell Brown, M.D., capsular contracture and implant malposition are the main reasons why women return for breast revision surgery.

Implant malposition simply means that the breast implant has slipped out of its desired position. When a surgeon places an implant into your breast, they must first create a pocket, or space where the implant will rest. When implant malposition occurs, your surgeon can repair the pocket, or remove the implant and prepare a new pocket. “You either fix the pocket or change the pocket,” Dr. Brown told the Times.

Capsular contracture happens when scar tissue around the breast implant begins to harden. While some scar tissue is normal, problems can occur when a capsule of scar tissue forms and begins to tighten around the implant. The breast feels less natural, and there is a risk of implant rupture and deflation. When this happens, Dr. Brown says it is often best to simply replace the breast implant. “Consideration should be made for taking the implant out of the local environment and replacing it with a new device.”

Breast Revision Surgery After Significant Life Changes

“The surgery may have been done beautifully, and everything may have healed well. Ten or 15 years later, a woman may have gained weight or lost weight, had a child, breastfed, or there may have been shifting and changing of the implant or the surrounding breast tissue. With all these possible changes, there may be a need for secondary surgery.”

— Mitchell Brown, M.D.

There are many other reasons for breast revision surgery. Some women decide that they want to change the size of their implants, while others want to change from a saline to silicone implant, or vice versa. Asymmetry between the breasts may also occur. Whatever the reason, breast revision surgery can restore the appearance of your breasts after breast augmentation.