Is the "Double Bubble" the Woman in NY Experienced Common?

Is the "double bubble" or four breast affect a potenial side affect of a breast lift/implant procedure? How common is it, and how do you address it with patients?

Tags:

breasts double bubble

Comment on this

12 Doctor Answers | Asked by mellieb in Bay Area, CA

Doctor Answers (12)
Community Comments (0)

The real story about the double bubble

I admit I read some of the responses about a 'double bubble' deformity after breast augmentation, and all surgeons are not on the same page as to what the term describes. The real deal is that double bubble occurs when the implant used in breast augmentation pushes below the natural fold under the breast. The effect is a breast on a breast look, with a peculiar pear shape. The implant volume and diameter are too large to fit into the natural skin envelope of the breast. It is possible to... more

Fixing double bubble problems with implants

The double bubble deformity is more common than most of us would like to admit, but there are no available statisitcs to know exactly how often it occurs. I believe there is more than one factor that contributes to it, which is why it has been histroically difficult to fix. However, there are very good options now.

Double Bubble

A double bubble can happen for a variety of reasons. It can happen with a weak fold, or undermining of the fold.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

More common in augmentation with sagging breasts

When women with saggy breasts want to go bigger, I usually advise doing a breast lift along with the implants. Otherwise, the implants create what we call a “double bubble,” where the breast droops off the end of the implant like a sock. Some of my patients, however, don’t want a lift because they want to avoid additional scarring, so sometimes implants alone can fill out the skin and eliminate the saggy appearance. However, it is difficult to determine what treatment... more

The Double Bubble breast deformity

Hi there- When experienced immediately after surgery, this is an entirely preventable deformity that results from inexperience and poor surgical planning. Selecting a surgeon appropriately and carefully should keep you from having to deal with this problem. In some patients, however, it results from contracture of the implant related capsule over time- in which case it is necessary to re-operate. In these circumstances, it could happen to any patient and with any surgeon.... more

This is common

The problem that you refer as double bubble is a common problem with the combined lift/implant. The reason forthis condition is 1) unrecognized tubular breast 2) implants are too big 3) mistake with the implant positioning As you see there is no uniform answer to your question and the reason is that there are multiple reasons for this condition.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD

28 reviews

New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

Double bubble after breast implants can be prevented.

Hi. In most cases, the double bubble deformity after breast implants is a technical error that can be prevented with good planning and good technique. It should be quite rare.

Double bubble after breast augmentation

Double bubble after augmentation is rare but can be corrected in most cases and may require a larger higher profiled implant in addition to some tissue reshaping or a complete lift

Double bubble deformity

Technically, this can occur with any breast augmentation if the breast tissue falls over the implant. There are techniques to help prevent this, and in experienced hands this should not be a common complication at all. If you are concerned about the risk of this and you are interested in breast augmentation, be sure to ask your surgeon about this specifically during your consultation. Good luck, /nsn.

Double bubble effect in breast augmentation

This occurs in approx. 10% of all augmentations. It is related to the anatomy of the breast in combination with the inferior insertion of the pectoralis major muscle. The choices to avoid or correct this are as follows: 1. Live with it (this is an option though I do not recommend to do that) 2. Reoperate with more release of the inferior insertion of the pectoralis muscle 3. Reoperate with doing #2 + inferior scoring of the breast gland 4. Change the location of the implant from sub... more