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Breast Lift Without Replacing Old Implants?

asked 2 years ago by ivati in Georgia
Latest answer by Anthony Dardano, DO
Question viewed 1,170 times
Tags: age 35-44, belly button, breasts, wrinkles, breast feeding, sagging, D cup, replacement

In 1993, I had Breast Implants (making me a D cup). Now I'm 42, have had a child, breastfed, and when I take my bra off my breasts hang down almost to my belly button.

My question is this: can I get a Breast lift and keep my old implants or must I get new implants? I'm fine with my size it's just the sagging that bothers me.

I am getting that waffling or wrinkling look on the side of the breasts. I'm not certain what you call that term, but I'm sure you'll understand what I mean.

16 answers to Breast Lift Without Replacing Old Implants?

Breast lift can be done without replacing implants

Yes, you can. It all depends what is your ultimate desire. Here are your possibilities: 1. Keep your implants if they are properly positioned and lift the breast over the implants. Consider changing implants while you are going for surgery. They are 17 years old and the chance of leakage increases with the implant's age. 2. If you think that your breast size has increased as it usually does with age and pregnancies you may have the implants removed and get a Mastopexy (lift). in this case... more

Farhad Rafizadeh, MD
Morristown Plastic Surgeon

Old implants and breast lift

I would recommend exchanging your implants at the time of surgery. They have been in a while (over 15 years) , why not start "fresh" with new generation implants such as silicone as well as your breast lift. I think you will like your result better.

Anthony Dardano, DO
Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

You can get a breast lift with your current implants, but new implants might be in order

If your implants are saline, then you could consider a breast lift, repositioning your breast tissue back on top of the implants. The wrinkling you are experiencing might be improved, but would best be corrected with a change to silicone implants. If you already have silicone implants, it is probably time to replace them. The likelihood of a leak increases with time, and this is the perfect time to update.

Michael D. Yates, MD
Huntsville Plastic Surgeon

Breast lift without changing implants

While true, that you can do a breast lift without changing the implants, it is not recommended in your case. Your implants are 16 years and likely near the end of their lifespan. It should add little to the overall cost of the procedure and it would be recommended by most plastic surgeons. Also, if you have saline implants now, then changing to silicone would likely decrease the rippling of the implants that you are experiencing. Good luck.

Dean Fardo, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Yes

If the implants are giving you no problems, then you shoud be fine. Your doctor will be determine if the implant pockets need to be worked on or not.

Scott E. Kasden, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Change the breast implants along with breast lift

Technically, the implants would not need to be removed for a breast lift. However, if they are that old, the likelihood to have long term problems with the implants would be greater. I would change the implants as well.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Consider replacing 16-year-old breast Implants

The wrinkling you are seeing / feeling are the folds in the implant shell. Folds are MORE prominent with saline filled than with silicone gel filled implants and become more noticeable when there is not enough breast tissue cover to act as a roof covering the implants. While SOME breast implants last over 20 years, most do not. If you are going to have a breast lift you SHOULD consider changing your implants at the same time. Silicone gel implants would be lighter and less ripply than... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

You don't have to replace the implants during breast lift

If the only problem is regarding the skin over your implants it would certainly be possible to simply tighten the skin with a breast lift and not touch the implants. As my colleagues have suggested, this might be an ideal time to consider an exchange possibly to move to silicone to minimize the lateral rippling you describe. But you really can consider these as separate issues. By only performing the breast lift you will correct the sagging breast shape and minimize your cost.... more

Robert B. Pollack, MD
La Jolla Plastic Surgeon

You can have Breast Lift without new implants

Yes, you can have a lift without new implants. The rippling that you see and feel is due to the implants. Putting in silicone gel implants can help if you currently have saline. If you are doing a breast lift your surgeon can try to cover the implants with more tissue to help reduce the visibility of the implants.

John P. Stratis, MD
Harrisburg Plastic Surgeon

Can I get a breast lift without exchanging old implants?

Yes, it is possible to do a breast lift without exchanging implants. HOWEVER, implants that are 16 years old should really be exchanged. The chance of a rupture increases significantly as implants age. They are not made to last forever. This is something you need to strongly consider. If you are happy with your size, it would simply mean removing the old implants and exchanging them for a similar size implant. Think about it strongly. I am confident that most plastic surgeons will... more

Sirish Maddali, MD
Portland Plastic Surgeon

Have Breast Lift with new silicone implants

You AND your breasts are16 years older. It sounds like a mastopexy or augmentation is in order but using the old prostheses is not indicated. The new prostheses have to con- form to the shape, size and diameter of the breast lift, or you may want to get silicone implants. Reusing old implants that could be imperceptably damaged during removal is not a good idea.

Barry H. Dolich, MD
Bronx Plastic Surgeon

I recommend breast implant exchange as well

Hello, If your implants are not ruptured you can keep them, but you might be better served by having them replaced. At some point the implants will fail as they are getting old. These are things to discuss with your surgeon as you decide what you would like to have done.

John P. Di Saia, MD
Orange Plastic Surgeon

Consider changing your breast implants to cohesive gel

Your implants were placed in 1993, which would suggest that they are most likely to be saline. I would urge you to consider changing them to cohesive gel implants -- that would likely improve the wrinkling on the outer part of your breast. The 'feel' of your breasts would also most likely be much more natural if you exchanged your implants. If you were totally against changing your implants, a breast lift could be done. To perform this procedure, I would have your surgeon check for symmetry... more

Wilfred Brown, MD
Fairfield Plastic Surgeon

You can certainly have Breast Lift without implant replacement

You certainly can undergo a breast lift without replacing your old implants. Whether or not that is advisable is difficult to answer without examing you. If indeed the wrinkling you describe on the side of your breasts is from your saline implants, then replacement with silicone would be in order. However, wrinkling from implants is more commonly seen at the top of breasts and medially.

John Whitt, MD
Louisville Plastic Surgeon

Masotpexy (breast lift) without implant exchange.

Your implants are a minimum of 16 years old. At this point in time, I would strongly urge you to consider replacing the implants while you are in surgery. It would be the most likely method to eliminate the "waffling or wrinkling look" you describe. It would seem somewhat ironic if you did not do this and your implants ruptured a year from now. Clearly there are many details such as the type of implants, location, and previousl incisions that may influence this decision. However to... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Breast lift without implant exchange

In 1993, most all implants placed were saline so the wrinkling you feel laterally is the implant as your tissues have thinned. It would be possible to do a lift with no implant exchange as long as your implants were positioned symmetrically. You might consider switching to gel however to get rid of the wrinkles.