Rippling

I have saline mentor implants filled to 375cc. Within the last year I have gotten alot of rippling. It almost fills like they have deflated some and are not that full. Is this normal. My doctor says its because I lost weight. I need answers please

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9 Doctor Answers | Asked by mandylee in St. Leonard, MD

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Rippling of breast implants

Thank you for the question. Palpability and rippling of breast implants may be related to several factors. These include the amount of soft tissue and breast tissue coverage over the breast implants, the position of the breast implants (submuscular versus sub glandular), the type of implants (saline versus silicone), and the degree of overfilling of saline filled implants. Generally, weight loss will extension weight any rippling/palpability of the implants. Deflation... more

How to avoid rippling with breast augmentation

Several factors are critical in limiting the risk of rippling with breast augmentation: implant type, pocket location, implant size, and preoperative anatomy. Thin patients with a paucity of breast tissue are at an increased risk for rippling. Placing the implant under the chest muscle gives more coverage and support to the implant. Rippling can be worsened with capsular contracture which occurs 50% less frequently with submusclar augmentation. Limiting the size... more

Causes Of Implant Rippling

Weight loss is one possible explanation for visible rippling after augmentation. Rippling is also more commonly seen with saline implants and implants over the muscle. Therefore the best chance of preventing rippling is to have silicone implants placed under the muscle.

Rippling with saline breast implants

If you have rippling with saline breast implants you may consider converting to silicone implants which have a lower incidence of rippling. Your skin may have become thinned out or you didn't have alot of breast tissue before surgery.Also, breast implants placed subglandularly (in front of the muscle) are more prone to rippling. In severe cases, patients sometimes need a synthetic skin substitute sewn into the pocket around the implants to minimize rippling. Consult with a board... more

Rippling with saline breast implants can be due to a number of things.

Rippling with saline implants is particularly bothersome in thin women with little breast tissue of their own, especially if their surgeons used an over-the-muscle position. Even with below-muscle placement of the implants, as swelling resolves, skin and muscle stretch, and weight is lost, rippling is more common. Rippling is even more common when surgeons under-fill the implants. Some surgeons erroneously believe that 300cc implants should be filled to 300cc, and some even think that... more

Rippling is normal for saline implants

Your surgeon is right about the rippling. All saline implants have rippling and it may be less visible or palpable because of the thickness of the breast tissue. If you have lost weight you will notice more rippling. If saline implant deflate, they go flat in few days. You have option of going with silicone gel implants or fat grafting to make the rippling less noticeable.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD

28 reviews

New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

Rippling of breast implants

If you lose weight and especially if the saline implants are above the muscle, you will develop rippling. You can either gain a few pounds or you can switch to gel, under the muscle and greatly improve it. Rarely, a patch or Strattice or Alloderm will thicken the coverage but be sure to be gel under the muscle before anything else.

Rippling pretty common with saline implants

To have wrinkling or rippling of your breasts after saline implants is rather common. If it seriously bothers you, or cause you pain or discomfort, I would recommend that you consider switching to silicone implants. There is less rippling associated with silicone implants. You might also want to go a little larger than your present size of saline implants. see video

Here are a few answers

The implants are not extremely large but you didn't comment on how large you are and how long you have had the implants. Large implants in a small breast can cause thinning of the overlying breast and skin over time. This is especially true if you are otherwise a small person. If you have lost weight, is could also result in thinning of the tissues covering your implant and make it more noticeable. If the implant feels like it has lost tone as well, it could be... more