Breast Lift Without Replacing Old Implants?

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.

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age 35-44 belly button breasts D cup sagging wrinkles breast feeding replacement

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16 Doctor Answers | Asked by ivati in Georgia

Doctor Answers (16)
Community Comments (0)

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

12 reviews

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

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

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.

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