Breast Reconstruction: Q&A

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Is There Anything That Can Be Done to Reduce Rippling After Breast Reconstruction Surgery?

I am 52 and have had a bi-lateral mastectomy followed by silicon breast implants. I notice rippling at the top of my breast when I lean over. I will have nipples added in a couple of months. Is there anything that can be done during this upcoming surgery that can help cover up the ripples?

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5 Doctor Answers | Asked by 5911anon in north carolina

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Rippling of Implant after Mastectomy Reconstruction

The problem here is that you have thin mastectomy skin flaps and likely muscle covering your implants. This rippling can be addressed by placing a larger silicone implant to fit more snug into the pocket; or tighening the skin envelope, or utilziing dermal matix products to create an internal bra for your implant to fill the empty space causing the rippling, or considering the form-stable cohesive gel implants (Which only a few plastic surgeons have access as part of a national... more

Breast Reconstruction

The most important thing to do now is to have another consultation with your plastic surgeon. The important question is DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH COVERAGE OF THE IMPLANT? Or is the skin subcutaneous tissue is too thin Alloderm is used to hide the rippling, but I am concerned because you have a silicone implant and still showing some rippling in the superior aspect of the implant . The superior aspect of the implant, after reconstruction, is usually coverd by the pectoralis muscle, and... more

Ripling implants after mastectomy

Rippling happens in both mastectomy patients and thin skinned breast augmentation patients. Allderm may be the answer to camouflage the rippling.

Steven Wallach, MD

13 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

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Rippling implants

Ripples are more evident when the implants are soft so to some extent you should be happy they are not hard. Implant reconstruction is imperfect and rippling is inevitable. What can reduce it is to hide it behind thicker tissue. Alloderm can improve this to some degree. Some surgeons use fat injections. If you are severely thin, a latissimus flap is available. A larger implant may increase firmness and decrease rippling a bit. It's all a trade-off.

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

4 reviews

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Correction of rippling after Breast Reconstrction

All breast implants ripple and Saline breast implants ripple more than silicone gel implants. This is the major fact why implants are placed UNDER the muscle. The idea is for the muscle to add volume and coverage hiding the ripples. You should ask your Plastic surgeons about increasing the coverage of the implants. IF the implants are over the muscle, putting them under the muscle will greatly reduce the ripples, otherwise using the back muscle to add further cover or placing a cover... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD

35 reviews

Memphis Plastic Surgeon

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These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.

Breast Reconstruction: Q&A

Is There Anything That Can Be Done to Reduce Rippling After Breast Reconstruction Surgery?