Upper Pole Rippling - Will Massage Help?

asked 1 year ago by Andria in usa
Latest answer by Steven Wallach, MD
Question viewed 694 times
Tags: Mentor, rippling, upper pole

1mo post-op,silicone 300ccmentor subgland.,upper pole rippling bilat.,pre-op36AA,little breast tissue.why?Massage helps?

32yo 5'9"140pounds,very thin in chest area.Pre-op.size:36AA. July 5th Doctor started placing 300cc silicone Mentor under the muscle on the right(areola approach)side but wasnt satisfied with pocket so placed both implants subglandulary.Now one month post-op I have visible ripples on both upper poles& medially when not in bra.Is it too soon to consider,will get worse?How long for a revision surgery.Can I go submuscular?Can the submuscular pocket on the right be used in a future revision surgery?

9 answers to Upper Pole Rippling - Will Massage Help?

Rippling in upper pole

Rippling is unusual in the upper pole. If you have this, then your tissues are probably very thin and you may want them placed under the muscle.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Message to help upper pole rippling?

Message will not help. It sounds like the soft tissue coverage was not thick enough to disguise the implants. Under the muscle placement should help. Silicone is usually helpful, but anything can ripple. Hard to say for sure without photos. Also, plastic surgeon may have seen something unusual in pocket. Another possibility is the use of Acellular Dermal Matrix, (ADM). This may allow soft tissue coverage. Make sure that your plastic... more

Jeffrey Roth, MD
Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon

Correction of Upper Pole Breats Implant Rippling

In all likelyhood your rippling is caused by inadequate soft tissue coverage over the implant. In extremely thin women submuscular placement will help reduce the chance of rippling. Stay with a silicone implant. You may need a revision in the coming months to address this problem. The procedure of choice is typically a pocket conversion to submuscular or a dual plane approach. Best Wishes, Neil Zemmel, MD

Neil J. Zemmel, MD
Richmond Plastic Surgeon

This was predictable!

A couple of points. Your rippling was predictable because it sound like your are thin with little to no breast tissue. When implants are placed in a subglandular position in thin patients then the implant(s) are more visible. Massage will not help this. The way to improve this would be to place the implants in a submuscular position. I would recommend you wait 3-6m before you proceed with aby other surgeries, Good Luck, Dr. ES

Earl Stephenson Jr., MD, DDS
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Correction of rippling after breast implants

Most likely your rippling is due to inadequate tissue coverage. Another possibility, improper implant diameter/projection profile causing scalloping. It is unfortunate that even though seems like your surgeon was planning on sub-muscular placement, he aborted that approach. I'd wait 3-4 months for things to settle, than it is possible to convert your implant pocket to a sub-muscular plane. This procedure should be performed by an experienced surgeon... more

Boris M. Ackerman, MD
Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon

Submuscular placement of breast implants will work

Hi. Massage will not help. Wait a few months. If still unhappy, will need revision breast augmentation with sub muscular placement. I am sure this can be done. see video

George J. Beraka, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Upper breast rippling following placement of silicone implants OVER the muscle

This is a tough procedure but it can be done. The problem is closing the subglandular pocket and lifting the muscle without having it retract. It is difficult to predict if it will get worse. However, massage is not likely to improve the situation. IF your implants are textured, converting these to higher profile smooth implants may produce less rippling. see video

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Message will not help

The placement of the implants above the muscle in a thin patient with minimal breast tissue is the reason for the rippling. You need to have revision and place the implants under the muscle or have fat grafting to the upper pole of the breast to have more coverage of the implant.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD
New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

Correction of Rippling

Rippling in the upper pole of the breasts is more common with saline implants, but it can be seen with silicone especially if the implants have been placed above the muscle. Massage is probably not going to be of any benefit. The correction is to move your implants below the muscle superiorly, but I would wait a couple of months to allow the wounds to mature a bit more.