What to Do with Bad Results from Breast Implants?

I am a year and a half years post-op. I recently went to my surgeon and found out that my implants have bottomed out. My scars are keloided and about 2 inches above the crease. I have no cleavage. My boobs are extremely far out to each side. He seemed very unhelpful and basically offered to charge me full price to do it again. My question is that fair? Are these flaws from a bad procedure? What do I need to do?

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17 Doctor Answers | Asked by andfran85 in norman,ok

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Revision breast surgery

The key to your successful reoperation will be coming up with a plan for avoiding what happened the first time. Bottoming out of the breasts can be a naturally occurring problem, especially with larger implants. The problem tends to be more prevalent in patients with prominent breast plate bone (pectus carinatum) or with athletic patients. Also, because the implants should be centered on the nipple, not all patients will get the same cleavage from their surgery without resorting to an... more

It sounds like you will need a revision

Unfortunately, it sounds like you will need a formal revision procedure. It's difficult to know exactly what that will entail without examining you, but given your description, things will not improve without surgery. I think that if you are unhappy with your surgeon in any way, you should seek out another Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon in your area for the procedure. Remember, any revision surgery is always more difficult than the original, so it's important to find someone with the... more

Breast Augmentation Revision

Sorry to hear about your problem. Implant malpositioning can be from many different factors and at 1.5 years after surgery it may be unrelated to surgical technique. You will likely need a revision that involves re-creating the bottom portion of the implant pocket using suture techniques. It may also require revision of your scar and post-operative treatments to decrease the chance of hypertrophied or keloided (there are significant differences) scars recurring. In my San Francisco area... more

Discuss your concerns with your plastic surgeon

I am so sorry to hear about the difficulties you are having with following your breast augmentation procedure. All the problems that you are experiencing are known potential complications of breast augmentation. Communication is essential. I would advise that you return to your plastic surgeon. Be pleasant but frank with your concerns and let he/she know your position on each. If you remain dissatisfied, then I would seek another opinion. I realize that this is a difficult position to... more

Unfortunately, you will probably have to pay for a revision

To andfran85, Hi! Your bad result may or may not have been preventable. Sometimes it is hard to tell even after doctors have examined the patient. But the point is, it is now largely irrelevant. 1) What I do if I think a patient of mine will benefit by a touch up, is I urge them to have the revision within a few months. We don't charge for any revision done one year from the original procedure or less. But if it is more than one year, then we charge (and sometimes we make exeptions if... more

Review secondary procedure policies of your doctor

I sympathize with you, this is not a happy situation. Unfortunately, sometimes a less than good result occurs in surgery. If a bad result happens, it is really up to the surgeon how he will handle the complication/unfavorable result. It may be helpful to review the policies of the doctor regarding secondary procedures- they should have been clear and in writing before you signed on the dotted line. Having said that, my philosophy is that if a bad result occurs and the patient was... more

Bad results from a breat augmentation are uncommon but the surgeon should fix them for free.

Presuming what you report is true, it sounds like a revision might be in order. The surgeon is not responsible for a keloid if that's what you have but if the implants reside on your chest wall in the wrong position, they should be moved. I personally do charge patients additional professional fees for revisions.

What to do? Get more advice, compare options

Andfran85: I'm sorry to hear you are having such trouble. Surgeons work to produce consistently good results for all patients. But not all patients achieve these results. Now you need to search for a solution. You might not get the final appearance you seek, even with more surgery, so plan carefully. You first sought the recommendations of your original surgeon. That was good. As a surgeon, I can tell you that keloid scars are not likely caused by the surgeon, but your body's healing... more

Unfortunately, a full fee revision is in order

Now that you have had a suboptimal result, it is even harder to get you to a good outcome than if it had gone well in the first place. There are many techniques that can be used to improve your situation but what you need now is the best breast plastic surgeon in your area and his or her expertise won't likely come at a discounted price. It may be necessary to pay in full again unfortunately.

You may want to consider revision surgery

Sounds that you have numerous conscerns on your breast implant results. Bottoming out can happen over time, and is caused by a many factors, including the size of the implant, pocket dissection during surgery, and your tissue strenght I would consider getting several opinions before deciding to proceed again, and make sure you choose a board certified plastic surgeon with expertise in breast surgery. Good luck.