Even though the vast majority of women who get breast augmentation surgery—both in Houston and around the world—are happy with their results, most of them will need implant revision surgery at some point.
Breast implants are more durable than ever, but they aren’t designed to last for multiple decades. How long do implants last? There isn’t a definitive answer, but most patients replace their implants 10 to 20 years after their breast augmentation surgery. Many women who had the first generation of silicone gel implants inserted after the FDA re-approved them in 2006, for example, are now getting breast revision surgery.
Sometimes, revision surgery is called for when implant complications occur, including:
- Rupture
- Visible wrinkling or rippling
- Discomfort associated with capsular contracture
Complications and implants wearing out, however, aren’t the only reasons for getting breast augmentation revision surgery. In this blog post, I’ll describe a number of other reasons for elective breast implant revision surgery, and I’ll also explain why it’s important to choose a board-certified plastic surgeon with breast revision experience to perform what can be a complicated procedure.
Getting Newer Implants
Even when there isn’t anything wrong with their existing breast implants, some women decide they want a newer generation of implants that can improve their results. A good example of this is when a patient who has saline implants decides to get cohesive silicone gel implants, which are extremely popular now. Approximately 8 out of 10 patients choose silicone gel breast implants at our practice because they believe this newer-generation implant looks and feels more like natural breast tissue.
Dissatisfaction With Results
Some women who underwent breast augmentation surgery elsewhere come to our practice because they’re not happy with their results. If a surgeon doesn’t have the experience or technical skill to create satisfying results, various complications may occur. These include implant malposition (dropping too low in the breast, migrating to the middle or the sides), which can look unnatural.
Some patients also regret their choice of implant size and are willing to undergo a second procedure to change their selection. This can occur whether patients want bigger or smaller implants, but the majority of cases involve women who wish they had chosen larger implants to begin with.
Explant Surgery
Some women come to our office to have their implants removed for one reason or another. In many cases, their lifestyles have changed since their breast augmentation, and it just makes sense to have their implants removed. This procedure is called explant surgery. Other patients believe their implants are causing health issues. In either case, we support the choice of the patient.
Whatever the reason for seeking breast augmentation revision, the selection of a plastic surgeon is especially important. For a number of reasons, including the presence of scar tissue, revision surgery poses more challenges than the initial breast augmentation procedure. I encourage you to look at before-and-after photos of breast revision patients to get a good idea of the kind of results you can expect.
You can also get more information about the procedure by contacting us by using the online form to request a consultation or by calling our office at one of our 3 locations. Call (281) 282-9555 (Clear Lake), (713) 521-4777 (Med Center/Museum District), or (713) 436-2222 (Pearland).
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