Are my Breast Implants Bottoming Out? (photo)

asked 7 months ago by Amy2525 in Flint, MI
Latest answer by J. Jason Wendel, MD
Question viewed 520 times
Tags: silicone implant, under muscle, 5 months post-op, bottom out, opinion

My right implant may be bottoming out. I'm 4.5 months post-op & received smooth silicone, 371cc, under-muscles. 1st photo is 24 days after surgery & the next 3 are recent. I feel like my right breast is becoming more uneven with my left, & that the nipple & incision are rising. I started exercising shortly after surgery & am wondering if that could cause bottoming out, even though my PS said it was totally fine if it felt ok to do & that it wouldn't effect it (since he makes "tight" pockets).

9 answers to Are my Breast Implants Bottoming Out? (photo)

Bottoming out of breast implants

Thank you for your question and including photos. It would be nice to see pre-op pictures to see if you had some asymmetry to start with. Most women have some asymmetry. It does appear that your right breast has bottomed out some. It also appears slightly larger than the left. You may have some seroma fluid around the outside of the implant and inside the capsule. This could develop from early exercise stimulating fluid production. This can stretch the pocket and... more

J. Jason Wendel, MD
Nashville Plastic Surgeon

www.mc.vanderbilt.edu

Yes, your right implant has dropped too low ("bottomed out").

With respect to my colleagues, when a patient photographs herself in a mirror, the image is reversed (try this yourself) and indeed your right implant has dropped too low, causing the nipple position and scar to look "too high." Your right breast also looks larger than the left, though it did not look abnormally asymmetrical in volume in the 24-day post-op photo. This could be blood or seroma, but clearly needs evaluation as well. Your incision (and nipple) did not... more

Richard H. Tholen, MD, FACS
Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon

www.mpsmn.com

Bottoming out after BA

Is it just me....in the photos it looks as if it's your left nipple that is too high and the left implant too low. The breast is bottomed out and the pocket needs to be revised. Working out soon after surgery could definitely have contributed to the problem if you did chest exercises like push ups. When the pectoralis muscles contract the force is translated onto the implant and in the early stages can push it out of place if done often. Once... more

Lori H. Saltz, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

www.ljcsc.com

Your left implant is bottoming out

The pictures show the right implant placed too low. You may have some capsular contracture over left breast. Please see your surgeon for further evaluation and possible revision.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD
New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

Breast Augmentation revision using the natural beautiful subfascial plane

Unfortunately there are several issues here that are very common with placement of subpectoral breast implants, especially when high profile narrow implants are placed. They usually start out too far lateral ( to the sides) because of the remaining attachment of the pectoralis muscle to the sternum. the continued everyday tone of the muscle and increased tone with every arm movement commonly lead to the descent and further displacement to the sides. Look in the mirror, put... more

Rian Maercks, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Post op Asymmetry

Thank you for the pictures, I wish if you added your preops , to judge if you had any asymmetry from the start. As you could see there is some asymmetry in the immediate post op picture of yours. On these pictures the left breast seems higher and have more upper fullness than the right one and as if it is even larger. And all that became more appearant later on with the final settlement. I usually prohibit my patients from any strengthening exercise related to their chest... more

Fatema S. Alsubhi, MD, SSC-plast
UAE Plastic Surgeon

Nipple rising up on one side after breast augmentation

The cause of the nipple on one side drifting upward after breast augmentation is indeed a bottoming out, or low position of the breast implant. As the point of projection drops below the nipple, the nipple appears higher. Unfortunately the pocket will need to be repaired to center the implant under the breast as like the opposite side. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

www.peterejohnsonmd.com

Bottoming out?

Thank you for the question and pictures. I think you are correct in that one of the implants has settled significantly more than the other. I think you will require revision surgery to improve the situation. One of the most common complications after breast augmentation surgery is implant mal-position. This occurs when the implant is in an incorrect position on the chest wall. This may include incorrect position of the implant superiorly (“riding high”), inferiorly... more

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Right breast implant problems

You do seem to be having some real problems with that implant and it clearly has bottomed out perhaps from excessive exercise. Also, it looks like you might have an early capsular contracture so both of these issues should lead you back to your doctor for a visit and an exam and some revisionary surgery.