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Signs That Breast Implants Are Encapsulated?

I've had saline implants for a year now. I kept telling my doctor that it felt as if the left one had never even "set in" and that both feels unnatural. He brushed this off. I have an appointment next week...Now they are saying it is probably encapsulated. Does this sound right? They are both so hard I now turn my body to give a hug! The right side is somewhat softer, but nowhere near others I have talked to.

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21 Doctor Answers | Asked by benhazed in Arizona

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You have severe capsular contractures which need to be treated correctly

To benhazed, Hi! I am afraid you need a revision, and how it is done is crucial. 1) You need CAPSULECTOMIES. That means the existing lining around your implants needs to be removed. This lining has myofibroblast cells which cause capsular contracture. 2) You need NEW IMPLANTS. Your current implants have a biofilm on their surface which may contain bacteria, and even a few bacteria will cause capsular contracture. You don't need to have an obvious infection to develop another... more

Capsular Contracture

Capsular contracture can occur on one or both sides, and while it can develop early (weeks) or late (years) after a breast augmentation surgery, in the vast majority of cases it is evident fairly early following the procedure. So the good news is that once you are six to 12 months out from your surgery, if your augmented breasts are soft and supple then they are likely to stay that way for the long term. It is believed that capsular contracture is primarily a response to the presence of... more

Michael Law, MD

17 reviews

Raleigh-Durham Plastic Surgeon

michaellawmd.com

Capsule Contracture Can Be Repaired

Your description of hardness is characteristic of capsule contracture. Speak with your surgeon about options for repair and prevention of another capsule contracture, including: Surgical removal of old capsules (complete capsulectomies) Replacement of implants If your implants were in front of the muscle, the new implants should be placed behind the muscle Switching to textured surface silicone implants to prevent recurrence might be considered With... more

Capsular contracture

If the breasts are firm and the implants are not mobile, then you probably have a capsular contracture. This is something that you should definitely talk with your doctor about. Most of the time you have to have the capsule removed to improve this situation.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

You may have a capsular contracture

Either you have a capsular contracture or your implants were too overfilled at the time of their insertion. These are basically the only ways a saline implant can feel too hard. Maybe your expectations of what is normal for a saline implant are also incorrect. I would suggest you visit another surgeon with your operative note and ask their opinion as to what is going on here. If you have a capsular contracture, a revision could be very helpful. If the implants are too overfilled, a... more

A capsular contracture is the most likely problem

One of the potential complications of breast augmentation surgery is development of a capsular contracture. This is when scar tissue, which forms around the implant, becomes hard and potentially painful. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to address this problem other than surgery. The surgery would involve either making incisions through the scar tissue at several locations to allow the capsule to expand or removing the capsule completely. However, there is no guarantee you will not... more

It is likely you have a capsular contracture.

It is likely you may have a capsular contracture if you feel that your breasts are quite hard and do not appear as though they have 'settled'. The other possiblity is that your saline implants were overfilled significantly more than is recommended. This would also cause your implants to feel quite hard.

You may have a capsule forming or may want to consider silicone implants

You need to discuss your concerns with your doctor. Without examining you it is difficult to know exactly what is going on. Encapsulation can cause firm or even hard breasts. It is also possible that you are feeling the saline implants especially if you have very litlle breast tissue covering the implants. If that is the case, you might want to consider changing to silicone implants which can for some patients make the breasts feel softer even though they have little breast tissue to... more

Likely capsule formation.

Benhazed, The most likely explanation is that you have capsular contraction around your breast implants. This is a rare reaction by the body to the presence of a foreign material (the implant). Basically, the body forms a hard scar around the implant. You will likely need another operation to remove the capsule. If you implants were placed above the muscle the first time, it may be best to put the new implants under the muscle. Good luck.

Encapsulation

It sounds like you do have encapsulation. During your next post operative consultation convey your concerns to your surgeon and explore all the possibl alternatives.

Capsular Contracture Following Breast Augmentation

Unfortunately, you describe classic capsular contracture of your breast following breast augmentation. It’s important that you see your plastic surgeon and have a treatment plan formulated to deal with this problem. Whenever a foreign material is placed inside your body, it will generate a reaction from the surrounding tissue. This typically results in the formation of a fibrous capsule that surrounds the breast implant. With time, the capsule tightens and undergoes contraction. When... more

Breast Implant Encapsulation

If one has implants, certainly one can have encapsulation. As they age, you may have hardness, pain, or asymmetry. Usually this can be noticed early with saline implants or later with silicone gel implants. The cause is unknown. It is much less infrequent with saline implants. If it does not improve symptomatically over a period of 6 months then one may require a capsulectomy or capsulotomy to correct the capsular contracture.

Rod J. Rohrich, MD

10 reviews

Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Signs That Breast Implants Are Encapsulated

After an augmentation, the implant should move freely in the submuscular pocket. If it does not then early capsule formation should be entertained. The capsular contraction can present as simple pain or gross disfigurement with pain. The treatment, of course, is to remove the capsule and the implant. Capsule removal is essential as is removal and replacement of implants. The old implants have a biofilm on the surface which contains bacteria that are not removable. more

Signs That Breast Implants Are Encapsulated

Once breasts begin to harden and /or become painful after an augmentation then capsular contraction should be suspected. Several grades of capsular contraction ranging from pain to distortion and thickening of the capsule and lack of mobility of the implant. The treatment is to remove the capsule and replace the implants. The implants become covered with a biofilm that contains bacteria which cannot be removed.

Signs of capsular contracture are.....

I. Firmness II. Change in shape III. Pain There are varying degrees of these signs and symptoms. You're best bet is to have a board certified plastic surgeon evaluate your complaints. Best regards, brzowski.com

You likely have a capsular contracture around your breast implants

I agree with the doctor above; it sounds like you do have a capsule around your breat implants. At a year it is likely you will need a revisional surgical procedure if your doctor does find that you have breast implant capsules. Unfortunately the most widely accepted option is an open capsulectomy or capsulatomy. Many years ago a closed capsulotomy was done to avoid surgery. However today, a closed capsulotomy may invalidate the warranty on your implants and is not accepted medical... more

Yes, that sounds possible

Benhazed, The possible causes and treatments for tight breast capsules are discussed and debated by surgeons all over the country, but if yours are firm and resist compression, then you likely have capsular contracture. That is unfortunate since recurrence even after treatment in not uncommon. I tell all patients to expect a capsule or scar to form around the implant. That is normal. A small minority of patients bodies respond to the implant surgery by forming a contracted or tightened... more

Sounds like capsular contracture

It sounds as though you have capsular contracture. Pretty much what you are describing sounds like the implants have become encapsulated and become firm. You should see your doctor and have him examine you to see what he/she thinks. Capsular contracture is when the scar tissue around the implant become tight and firm. Every patient who has implants placed, whether breast or any other implant will develop scar around it. It is just a matter of how firm that scar becomes and how tight... more

All breast implants are encapsulated

The question is not whether the implants are encapsulated but what is causing them to feel so unnatural to you. All implants become encapsulated with a payer of collagen that we refer to as the capsule. If you were to take the implant out, this thin capsule would be left behind as collagen and scar tissue. Sometimes this capsule starts to contract around the implant and, just as if you were to squeeze progressively more and more around a water balloon, the balloon gets firmer and firmer... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

4 reviews

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Sounds like capsular contracture

Hi there, It's impossible to say for certain without seeing you, but it does sound like you are experiencing capsular contracture of your implants. I would review the options with your surgeon, as well as the methods for minimizing the risk of recurrence. Unfortunately, it does happen, but there are things that can be done to make it better and make the risk of it coming back as low as possible. Here's hoping you don't have further problems.

Capsule contracture

It sounds like you have a breast capsule. The treatment depends on the severity but in general, it will require removal of the capsule (capsulectomy or capsulotomy). Good Luck