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What's the Procedure for a Breast That Remains Too High?

asked 1 year ago by Belle22 in home
Latest answer by Adil Ceydeli, MD
Question viewed 506 times
Tags: 9 months post-op, high, tightness

I have 250 cc implants on over a naturally flat chest. My PS told me my skin was "tight". My right implant looks awesome. My left one was higher than the right from the get-go, firmer and has more upper pole. (This was the smaller breast and is filled a little more to make them match.) After 9 months, it still doesn't rest in my bra, the difference in the upper pole is still very noticeable and it is still visibly higher than the right. What is the typical fix for this problem?

16 answers to What's the Procedure for a Breast That Remains Too High?

You may need capsulectomy

Most likely you have capsular contracture, and may need capsulotomy or capsulectomy to lower the implant.

Adil Ceydeli, MD
Panama City Plastic Surgeon

Capsular release is needed

Nine months is sufficient time to allow for the normal settling that occurs after this surgery. You likely require a release of the capsule that will allow your left implant to reposition downward. This is not a very painful procedure, and the same incision is used if you had an inframammary incision. If you had a transaxillary incision this is not possible and you will need a new incision in the inframammary crease (one reason I prefer the inframammary incision to start... more

Eric Swanson MD
Leawood Plastic Surgeon

High riding implant

There is a possibility of a high riding implant after a submuscular breast augmentation. The reasons for a high riding implant can be the result of the implant being placed high, or the patient may have developed capsular contracture. In the first case scenario, the implant usually stays high the first day and then one side descends into its regular position and the other implant stays high. That is a high riding implant; the correction is a surgical repair and lowering of the muscle.... more

S. Ozan Sozer, MD
El Paso Plastic Surgeon

www.elpasoplasticsurgery.com

Implant too high

It is always nice to see photos to determine what the problem is. SOmetimes a simple procedure as releasing the capsule in the lower pole in some patients corrects this issue. If your fold was higher on the afected side that is probably why it is higher post-op.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Breast asymmetry after breast augmentation; could be capsular contracture

If you have asymmetry before surgery, you will have asymmetry after surgery. However, if one side is noticeable higher and firmer, this could indicate capsular contracture( excess hard scar tissue around the implant). This is a condition that typically requires surgical correction. Consult with your plastic surgeon and review your pre-operative photos and determine if a revision is needed. Best wishes, Dr.Bruno

William Bruno, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

What's the Procedure for a Breast That Remains Too High?

All the experts can give your guidance but a posted photo would have helped. My guess is you will need revisional surgery to lower the Right implant. Best of luck.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Fixing a breast implant that is too high

It usually takes an implant about three to six months to settle into position and swelling to resolve. After that, if it is still too hight the problem may be due to one of several possibilities: a capsular contracture developed and is preventing the implant from dropping you may have breast sagging that wasn't addressed during the first surgery the implant may have been placed too high A breast revision is needed to correct the problem by removing... more

Adam Hamawy, MD
Westchester Plastic Surgeon

What to do if one breast remain higher after an augmentation.

There are many reasons for this kind of problem. If one breast was significantly smaller and a larger implant is used on that side, especially when the skin is tight, that side can look harder and higher from the beginning. A capsular contraction could cause the same problem, but this usually comes later. A revision could take care of the problem after one determines the exact cause.

Farhad Rafizadeh, MD
Morristown Plastic Surgeon

Breasy asymmetry

There are several possibilities to consider here and it's hard to say which applies to you without at least a photo. They all involve additional surgery on your left breast. If your left breast was smaller to begin with it was probably a little higher as well. The skin envelope is smaller and the implant larger so you have a tighter, rounder and higher breast. The degree of asymmetry you describe seems like more than just that though. Does the... more

Lori H. Saltz, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

You may need to have revision to lower the implant

Before and after pictures would be helpful. You may have capsular contracture or just high implant position. Revision surgery will depend on the problem.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD
New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

Asymmetric breasts after breast augmentation

You had different sized implants placed to treat asymmetry and now have a left implant that rides too high up. Not knowing your exact medical history, what exactly was done at surgery (what implants were placed above vs. below the muscle), what you looked like before surgery or what you look like now it is impossible to say what the problem is or how to fix it. The cause of the current problem could be anything from inadequate left pocket dissection, an implant whose dimensions do not match... more

Aaron Stone, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Implant asymmetry after 9 months probably will need a surgical revision.

If the implant appeared too high in the beginning and has not changed in 9 months, a small pocket revision will be necessary to reposition the implant. I would be surprised if your surgeon charged you a professional fee for the correction.

Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Surgical Correction Of Too Highly Placed Implant

I cannot be sure of the best way to treat your problem without an exam or at least a photo. The most common treatment would be an inferior capsulotomy or capsulectomy along with suturing of the superior portion of the implant pocket. Sometimes AlloDerm or some other ADM is useful here, but it adds significantly to the expense.

John Whitt, MD
Louisville Plastic Surgeon

Revision for the too high breast implant

If after nine months the fold is higher on one side and the implant has not dropped into place, the revision should include opening the capsule on the higher side to bring the implant down to match the opposite side. A breast band will help as the capsule is opened and scored to encourage the lower breast skin to relax and accommodate the implant. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

www.peterejohnsonmd.com

Breast implant too high

It has been 9 months; if the implant was higher than the other side from the beginning, the pocket was possibly made too high. It is also possible that you developed an early capsular contracture on that side and while the other implant was able to stretch your tight skin and "settle", this implant was held by scar tissue in a high position (and possibly moved higher over time). In any event, a revision is needed. If there is no capsular contracture, simply... more

Robert M. Grenley, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

www.seattleplasticsurgery.com

Revisions of breast augmentations

At 9 months, your result is basically fixed in position. Without a photo it is hard to exactly say but it sounds like you need a revision. Either the extra fluid needs to be removed and or the implant pocket lowered. Good luck.