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Exchanging 350cc for 250cc Breast Implants with Minor Breast Lift?

asked 2 years ago by knockoutskincare in PA
Latest answer by Tom J. Pousti, MD
Question viewed 1,599 times
Tags: 110-129 lbs, 5 ft 4 in to 5 ft 7 in, 250-299cc, 350-399cc, low profile, moderate profile

I am 5'6" and 119lbs. I am small boned. I currently have 350cc's low profile Breast implants and feel I look to top heavy. I wanted to have the implants removed but the ps is strongly against it. He says they will look like a flat tire.

He is suggesting exchanging them for 250cc's moderate profile with a Mini Breast Lift. I am concerned that I will still be to top heavy. Really could use some advice.

18 answers to Exchanging 350cc for 250cc Breast Implants with Minor Breast Lift?

Downsizing Breast Implants

Not easy to answer without examining you. It sounds like you have three options: Remove your implants Remove your implants and have a breast lift Replace your implants with smaller ones, with or without a lift, depending upon the difference in implant size and the elasticity (tone) of your skin Do nothing; stay as you are. The change in volume from 350cc to 250cc may result in a half- to full cup size reduction. A breast lift often reduces about... more

Paul C. Zwiebel, MD
Denver Plastic Surgeon

www.pzwiebel.com

Reducing implant size and performing a lift

Make sure you know exactly what the surgery entails. It is fairly easy to determine how much native breast tissue you have, and how your likely postoperative appearance would be with a lift and smaller implant. However the difference between the two sizes you mention is not huge, so do spend some time with your surgeon on this issue. You don't want to have a surgery only to discover you are still top heavy and need further surgery.

Brent Moelleken, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Please send picture

If you think that you will look ok without implant( think about the reason that you had implnt) then have your plastic surgeon to deflate them(if they are saline) in office under local, then wait few weeks . If you are happy with the shape and size of the deflated implants,then have them removed surgiclly. If you are not happy with the deflated breast implant and want more volume ,then you can try smaller implant. If you have silicone implants ,you can remove them surgically and wait . You... more

Kamran Khoobehi, MD
New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

Breast implant sizing

It is very important to communicate your size goals with your surgeon. In my practice, the use of photographs of “goal” pictures (and breasts that are too big or too small) is very helpful. I have found that the use of words such as “natural” or “C cup” or "fake looking" means different things to different people and therefore prove unhelpful. Also, as you know, cup size varies depending on who makes the bra; therefore, discussing desired... more

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Implants smaller

If you want to go smaller then more than likely you will need a lift. In most patients if you just remove the implants, they will look very flat.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Downsizing implants with breast lift.

Hard to say without seeing you. Having said that, often when we down size implants there is extra skin. This skin will sometimes need to be addressed with a lift. Talk with your Plastic Surgeon about your expectations. Bring in photos if you can. I also would wait at least a year before doing revisional surgery.

Jeffrey Roth, MD
Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon

With removal or downsizing of breast implants, you will likely need a lift

If you have your implants removed, then your remaining breast volume will be similar to what you had prior to your breast augmentation, but you will have more sagging since your tissues have been somewhat stretched by the implants. If you would be happy with the breast volume you had previously, then you could consider removal of your implants and a mastopexy (breast lift). Of course, a breast lift requires additional incisions on the breasts (usually around the areolar margins, perhaps up... more

Michael D. Yates, MD
Huntsville Plastic Surgeon

Don't get caught up in the details of choosing implants...

Hi there- The best advice I could give you is to focus on your desired breast contour. Forget everything else. Close your eyes and imagine the breast size, shape, and proportion to the rest of your body that you would like to achieve. Now communicate that appearance to your surgeon. In my opinion, the best way to do this is through photos (that whole "picture is worth a thousand words" thing has been around a long time for a reason), but the point is really to communicate what you... more

Armando Soto, MD
Orlando Plastic Surgeon

www.DrArmandoSoto.com

Removal of breast implants

It is difficult to know what the breasts will look like after explantation. Most often they return to a similar pre-operative state. A young person with good skin tone should have few problems. The older you are and the longer the implants have been in place the less likely they will "bounce back". If you just want the implants out, it is a very simple procedure with minimal recovery and you don't burn any bridges. You can always do a lift later if you're unhappy.... more

Robert M. Jensen, MD
Medford Plastic Surgeon

Regrets after breast implants, and downsizing

If breast augmentation is done for the right reason, few women ever look back, and in fact think little about their implants except at time for mammograms. The decision to have an augmentation should be made for self interest alone; the size and look should be of your making. It can be difficult not to be influenced by others, friends, spouse, boyfriend, even your surgeon, yet if the look is not you and you alone, how you feel inside, it is easy to understand why you might become unhappy... more

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

www.peterejohnsonmd.com

Breast Implant removal

The one question I would ask is how long you have had the implants? If they have been present for over a year the breast tissue has accomodated to the new volume and your skin will not tighten after the implants are removed. 350 cc are large and the impact on the breast and the skin will be obvious upon removal. Generally speaking, when implants are removed the upper pole volume of the breast is dramatically reduced. The nipple position will appear lower and the breast will appear... more

Robert W. Kessler, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon

www.drrobkessler.com

Breast Implant Exchange

It is difficult to answer your question without photos or al least knowing the amount of breast tissue that you had prior to your augmentation. Still I tend to agree with your plastic surgeon that you probably will need a mastopexy if you replace your implants with a 100cc smaller size. I am concerned that this will leave you with a lack of fullness in your upper pole as well as some degree of sagging.

John Whitt, MD
Louisville Plastic Surgeon

Downsizing breast implants

The real question here is: Are you that dissatisfied with your size that you prepared to go back to your original appearance? If yes, remove the implants and consider a lift. If not, a 250cc implant is a decent size decrease and will not differ tremendously from a 225 or 200cc implant. If you are considering smaller than 200cc you might as well remove them completely.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Breast Implants that are too large

If you are set against keeping the size of implant you have, but do not know whether or not to remove them completely or to exchange them with a different size and/or style, you can deflate them by simple puncture if they are filled only with saline. Once they are fully deflated, you and your surgeon can assess your native anatomy and determine whether you would benefit from implants and what the best fit would be.

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Concern about breast size

If you have all these concerns in my opinion just have the implants taken out and let things settle for 3 to 6 months. At that point you can start from square one. You can see what you would look like without implants and a plastic surgeon would be able to better assess if you need a lift. If you go smaller and do a lift now you have taken an irreversible step.

John P. Stratis, MD
Harrisburg Plastic Surgeon

Breast lift after downsizing is an effective solution

Your surgeon's recommendation that you exchange or downsize the implants with a concomitant lift is commonly practiced. Without seeing your photographs, I cannot further recommend what type of lift, but unless you have very mild ptosus, I am not in favor of performing donut, benelli, or concentric mastopexies. You'll potentially be left with flattened breasts, less projection, and a poor result after that procedure. Discuss with your surgeon his plan for the type of lift and realize that... more

Jeffrey D. Hoefflin, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

How to pick breast implants.

How to pick breast implant sizes Answer by George J. Beraka, MDManhattan Plastic SurgeonContact the doctor1) This is the most common type of question on RealSelf. 2) It is the surgeon's job to pick the right breast implants, not the patient's. Implant selection is really pretty technical. 3) Make sure your surgeon REALLY understands the look you want. Mentioning a cup size is not enough. Show your surgeon pictures of breasts you like. 4) Then your surgeon has to tell you if your chosen look... more

George J. Beraka, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Downsizing breast implants

Whenever you downsize breast implants, you have the risk of your breasts appearing flatter or developing ptosis (hanging) of the breasts. So, if you downsize the implants, you should also consider a breast lift at the same time. Good luck.