Breast Implant Revision: Q&A

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Is It a Good Idea to Have Saline Subpectural Implants Switched out for over the Muscle Saline?

I ask that because 3 years after I got the BA I came into the Army, where you have to do alot of push ups and pulls up. The implants seem to have greatly decreased my ability to do those exercises and do them comfortably. I'm hoping maybe if I switch to over the muscle, my the strength in my pectoral muscles will improve? does that sound like a good idea, and would it be worth the cost?

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7 Doctor Answers | Asked by TonyaStarr

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Submuscular to subglandular breast implant

Whether it is "worth" the cost has to be determined by you, the patient. It is possible that the submuscular implants are producing a limiting effect on the pectoralis muscle function. However this might be due not only to the position of the implant but also how the original surgery was performed. Often the pectoralis muscle is surgically released to accommodate the implant size. This may weaken the muscle and simply repositioning the implant to the subglandular position may not solve... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

4 reviews

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Implants suffering from pressure from active pectoralis muscle might benefit from replacement to a sub glandular position.

Occasionally patients find that sub pectoral placement will create problems will when the pectoralis muscle is actively engaged will. This is usually an aesthetic problem not a functional. Movement of the implants in the sub muscular to a sub glandular position can help this. However, you might be better with a silicone gel implant if the prosthesis is going to be above the muscle.

Implants usually better under the muscle

Every situation is different and there are some circumstances where going over the muscle is a reasonable choice, but it is difficult to predict whether changing from under to over would improve muscle strength. One clue would be whether you see "animation" of the breast with upward movement when you flex your pecs. That may mean that the muscle was cut (which is routinely done.) But moving the implants to over the muscle would require re-attaching the muscle with a long healing time before... more

Risks of Breast Implant Repositioning For Potential Exercise Benefit Not Worth It

While in theory that sounds like a good idea, I would be very hesitant to incur the risks of surgery for such a small potential gain that is exercise-dependent and not aesthetic. There is far more that can go wrong than what there is to be gained...and that is gambling on the unproven theory that you will be exercise-tolerant.

Switching breast implant positions

It would NOT be a good idea to go from under the muscle to over for you in my opinion. There is nothing you can't do with unders so I'd suggest just leaving them alone.

Exchanging Breast Implant Position from Sub muscular to Sub glandular Position?

Thank you for the question. As you can imagine, precise advice would require in person consultation. Generally speaking, I would not advise most patients to have breast implants removed from the “sub muscular” position and have them replaced in the sub glandular position. Although, based on your description, it may make sense to do so, there are many potential downsides of breast implants placed in the sub glandular position that you should consider. Again, generally... more