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Is It Normal to Feel the Edge of the Implant?

asked 1 year ago by wonderingmomof2 in PA
Latest answer by Scott E. Newman, MD
Question viewed 1,075 times
Tags: edge, normal

I am 28/5'6/135lbs/Athletic & mom of 2 boys. Was an A cup barely before BA. I got 400cc med profile silicone gel implants. I had my Breast Aug 12/15/10 & they are healing great. The right one dropped and looks perfect and natural and I can barely feel the implant except under my breast. But is it normal to feel the edge of the implant in between my cleavage, just the left breast. I showed my DR and he said scar tissue still is forming and will be less noticeable once more forms. Is this correct?

21 answers to Is It Normal to Feel the Edge of the Implant?

Is It Normal to Feel the Edge of the Implant?

It is not uncommon to be able to feel the edge of an implant, especially along the bottom edge of the breast where the tissue is thinner. This is more common in thinner patients. This is why I prefer to place implants under the muscle whenever possible. The more of you there is on top of the implant, the more it will look and feel like you, and the less it will look and feel like an implant.

Mark Preston, MD
Columbus Plastic Surgeon

Feeling edge of implants

Yes, it is normal to feel the edge of the implants especially in very thin patients no matter what pocket location is chosen.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Feeling edge of Implants

It is common to feel the edge of the implant- especially when you're thin. In your case it looks to me like you have a lot of breast tissue at the lower part of your breast. If your implant is sitting near the higher part of your breast then, although you might like your appearance, you may feel this more. It's possible that it will become less obvious when things heal fully, although now at the 8 month point I think you're close to that point. IF this... more

Scott E. Newman, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

www.psurgery.com

Breast Augmentation, Breast Enlargement, Breast Implants

You can feel the implants in most patients. Give more time for healing. Its not a problem and you should not worry about feeling the implants.

Jay H. Ross, MD
Tampa Plastic Surgeon

Feeling the Edge of an Implant

Feeling the edge of an implant after surgery is not that uncommon. One can always palpate the edge or feel the implant in the lower outer quadrant whether it’s silicone or saline. Sometimes saline implants may be more palpable as there is very little breast tissue in this area, especially in patients that are thin or have larger implants. However, if a patient has only a little or no breast tissue I would recommend placing the implant, preferentially silicone gel implants, below the... more

Rod J. Rohrich, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Feeling the implant

As stated by others, in thin patients and patients with little breast tissue prior to implant placement, there is an increased chance of feeling the implant. However, it does take time for the implants to settle and one may settle faster than the other. At the 6 month mark, you should discuss any asymmetry with your surgeon. Good Luck.

David Shafer, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

www.ShaferPlasticSurgery.com

Normal to feel implant edge

It is normal to feel the implant edge. The implant edge can be more easy to feel in thin patients, patients with minimal breast tissue, and when implants are placed above the muscle. Even when implants are placed beneath the muscle, the implant edge may still be palpable along the outer and lower part of the breast. In your case, there appears to be some pre-existing asymmetry which may result in the implant being more palpable on one side. This may or may not... more

Andrew P. Giacobbe, MD
Buffalo Plastic Surgeon

Is feeling the edge of the implant "normal"?

You can feel the edge of the implant in many situations particularly in thinner patients, with saline implants (which you don't have), those with thin muscles and if to wide an implant is placed in the pocket. Your situation may or may not improve with time.

Steven Turkeltaub, MD
Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon

www.turkeltaub.com

It is normal to feel the implant.

This is normal. It seems your left breast is different than the right making the sensations different. This may go away with time. you will also get used to having the implant in and notice it less with time. see video

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Feeling the implants after breast augmentation

It is normal to be able to feel the edge of the implants after a breast augmentation. This is usually the case in the lower part of the breasts, but the implants can sometimes be felt on the inner and outer parts of the breasts. Your photo shows a lovely result. Do not be discouraged that you can feel the implants. While possible, it is unlikely that the healing process will increase the tissue around the implants and mask the feeling of the edge of the implants. Even so, you seem to... more

Adam Rubinstein, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

dr-rubinstein.com

Implant Palpable after Breast Augmentation

It is not uncommon to palpate the implant after surgery, especially with thin skin in the lower half of the breast. It appears that you have a fair amount of breast asymmetry and sagging of both breasts. I would recommend that you consider a breast lift in the future to achieve better symmetry and shape. I wish you a safe and happy recovery. see video

Paul S. Gill, MD
Houston Plastic Surgeon

www.drpaulgill.com

You can feel the edge of the implant.

Being able to feel the edge of the implant is common. This is always part of the preoperative discussion I have with my patients. The area of the implant not covered by the muscle can thin out the overlying fat and skin, making it easier to feel.

Michael Orseck, MD
Greenville Plastic Surgeon

www.orseckmd.com

Sometimes you need a breast lift and an implant

From looking at your photographs, it is obvious that you have some degree of breast droop, or ptosis. While breast implants will make you larger and fuller, they will not correct this droop. This can only be done with a breast lift. The breast lift can be done at the same time as the implant placement if your surgeon is experienced in this. It can also be done as a second operation. The palpable implant edge is normal, but I suspect that is it made more noticeable because your... more

Matthew Schulman, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Breast augmentation versus breast lift with breast augmentation

Your breasts are asymmetric and not correctable by breast augmentation alone. You needed a breast lift along with breast augmentation to get appropriate nipple placement and overall breast symmetry. Feeling the implant is not unusual along the lower medial and lateral aspect of the breast

Arian Mowlavi, MD
Laguna Beach Plastic Surgeon

Implant edge

Dear Mom of 2, It is not uncommon to be able to feel the edge of a breast implant. This may worsen or improve with time depending on your tissues, gravity and the capsule that forms around the implant. Keep your follow up appointments with your plastic surgeon. Good luck! see video

Kenneth R. Francis, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Is It Normal to Feel the Edge of the Implant?

Yes it is normal to feel the edges of an implant. Over time you will notice this much less. Thanks for posting your post operative photo, wish my patients were as accepting as you for a "nice" result. From MIAMI Dr. Darryl j. Blinski

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

All implants ripple, the question is can you see or feel the ripples

All implants ripple, saline filled much more than silicone gel. The question that is critical to patients is whether they can see or feel the ripples. This depends on how much soft tissue covers the implant. Silicone gel under the muscle has the least ripples. After that it depends on the individual. Fortunately there are new techniques to hide the ripples. One that I have used very successfully is fat grafting to hide the ripples.

Carl W. "Rick" Lentz III, MD
Daytona Beach Plastic Surgeon

Misshapen breast after breast implant and capsular contracture

Yes it is normal even if the implant is placed under the muscle there is no muscle coverage of the lower edge of the implant. Luckily this is usually not visible because of the way breasts normal hang downward off the body. What I see in your case is early capsular contracture especially on the right as the breast does not have its usual smooth curving contour. When a breast implant is placed the body attempts to wall it off forming a capsule around the implant. This capsule can be... more

Aaron Stone, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Feeling Silicone Implant

Time will tell if your surgeon is right or not, but it should not take much more time. The majority of your scar tissue is formed at this point unless you start to get a type of thickened internal scar we don't like called capsular contracture. It is not harmful to be able to feel the implant, but it can be irritating. The only harmful issue would be if the skin layer got very thin in the area you can feel the implant.

Byron D. Poindexter, MD
Reston Plastic Surgeon

Feeling edges after breast implants

It is very normal to be able to detect the edges of a breast implant, especially the edge under the breast or out to side where the implant is covered by the breast tissue alone. For most the implant will be covered by the chest muscle in the cleavage area and over the top of the breast implant. Your implants may be subglandular. The edge or fold you feel can indeed shift as the implants settle in over the first several months, and massage may be helpful to smooth the implant into the pocket... more

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

www.peterejohnsonmd.com

Implant palpability

Thank you for posting your photo. The capsule, which is scar tissue, forms around any foreign body (the implant is a foreign body). This begins to form immediately after surgery. However, the thinner the scar, the softer the implants and the better the capsule; ie: no contracture. So, in short, you dont want your body to continue to form scar! If you are feeling the implant in the cleavage area, it is unlikely that your implant is behind the muscle. (you did not... more