Breast Implant Revision: Q&A

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Saline Breast Implants, fill the right breast as well to achieve the best match?

I got Saline Breast Implants 6 months ago. My doctor did a good job. However, my left breast is slightly less full in projection as well as in width. He said it's so slight he recommented not to do anything. He is willing to fill the left breast with a little more saline. That will give me the projection, but it also it might narrow wideness. Can we fill the right breast as well to achieve the best match?

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Better is the Enemy of Good!

It sounds like your surgeon is offering you two good options. It is reasonable to add a little more volume to get better symmetry: it is a simple enough procedure, with few risks. Of course, "few risks" does not mean "no risk!" It is possible that adding more fluid could make things different rather than truly better. This is where trusting the good judgment of your plastic surgeon is important. All women have breast asymmetry. None of us... more

Satisfaction after breast augmentation.

Hi. Of course, a minimal imperfection should be left alone. But the only measure of success in breast augmentation is a happy patient. If the visual result continues to bother you, why not revise it. You may need a different implant and different pocket dissection.

Minor differences are normal

Subtle differences between breasts are normal. The inframammary folds, the base width, the exact nipple height are diffferent for each pair of breasts. Filling up implants again after they are inside will require a surgical procedure unless they are adjustable implants with the access port still in place.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

It might be best to leave well enough alone.

Sometimes after surgery we (patients and surgeons) start to become very picky - trying to get a "perfect" result. However, as I am sure you know, no person is perfectly symmetrical. In fact, perfect symmetry sometimes actually looks unnatural. Additionally, you might be getting more than you bargained for with revision surgery. If there is an obvious asymmetry or other problem, you should go ahead with the revision, but you will also have the added risks of an additional surgery. Once... more

Perfection

No one can promise perfection and you really need to consider the potential risks of returning to the operating room for a breast revision. Please know that almost everyone is a bit different between the two breasts and so when performing breast surgery, we plastic surgeons do our best to adjust for the breast asymmetry but I promise my patients that their breasts will be "sisters" not "twins". If it is really bothering you then just make sure you understand... more

Minor Asymmetry and Revision Surgery

I would approach with caution. If you are overall pleased with your result, I'd stick with it. Remember, every and any surgical intevention carries risks - although very small. Reopening your implant pocket does restart the healing process and opens the door to possible infection or initiating scar tissue around your implants. Having said that, if this asymmetry is driving you nuts, then I'd recommend the revision procedure. Its always a... more

If you had a complication from a revision, you'd be misreable!

If your breasts are fairly symmetric and you are fairly pleased with your result, enjoy it! If it bothers you so much and you are willing to accept the risks involved, then ponder a revision. Adding saline to a less projecting, narrower breast will make it even more narrow, despite "evening" out the projection. You may consider changing the left device so you do not have to alter the right side, adding potential complication there! Remember, if you have a serious... more

Be careful about reoperating on a good result to make it a little better.

If your breasts are soft and close to symmetrical, I would leave things alone. Reoperation reintroduces the risks of any operation and you could be sabotaging a good result. Also, technically, the manufacturer voids the warranty on the implant if reoperation takes place and new implants are not placed.

Breast asymmetry after breast augmentation

Both alternatives are reasonable in terms of acheiving breast symmetry. Keep in mind that breast asymmetry is a common condition affecting upwards of 85% of women.

Perfect breast symmetry is not possible with breast implants

All women have some degree of breast asymmetry, both in size and shape. After breast augmentation, some patients may notice this subtle difference even more because of the increase in size. Although your surgeon can attempt to correct the size difference by using two different volumes of implants, the final result may still have a slight asymmetry. Going back in to perform a surgical revision by adding or removing volume does carry a small risk of capsular contracture... more

Breat Implants and You

The size of your implants is very personal, but make no mistake perfect symmetry is nearly impossible to accomplish. Most women are slightly different sizes and no one is the wiser. If you are comfortable in a bathing suit, in your clothes and in your skin then maybe nothing needs to be done. However it seems you may be more concerned. Talk with your doctor about the expected outcome if you did decide to revise and consider possibility of living with your current implants. more

Saline implant revision--adding more volume

It sounds like you and your surgeon are both reasonable. If the difference is slight (not noticeable in clothes or to other people), I would leave well-enough alone and chalk it up to everyone's natural asymmetry. If it bothers you, you could add a little more volume, but I doubt this is really going to increase your projection more than a millimeter and won't change your width much either. To truly change dimensions, you would need a new implant in a larger size.... more

Carmen Kavali, MD

11 reviews

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Asymmetry after breast augmentation

In general, minor asymmetries after breast augmentation should be left alone. If there is only a very subtle difference, trying to achieve perfect symmetry can lead to further problems. Often, minor asymmetries were present prior to breast augmentation and they can be magnified as the breast is increased in size. My advice would be to leave it alone.

Minor asymmetries are common after breast augmentation.

Minor asymmetries are common after breast augmentation and if it is truly minor I would leave it alone.

Revising saline breast implants at 6 months is not recommended

Subtle differences in the result of your breasts is common following breast augmentation surgery. Often this is due to the scar tissue that has formed surrounding the implants referred to as a scar capsule. This scar tissue capsule can distort the shape of one implant making it seem significantly fuller or narrower than the other breast. This tissue has not had a chance to fully stabilize at six months and is still subject to change with natural healing, therapeutic massage... more

Minor asymmetry after breast augmentation

Most women have some degree of asymmetry between their breasts. When a breast augmentation is performed, these asymmetries are magnified. Many times, these can be identified and adjusted for by choosing different implants or different fill volumes for each breast. In your case, the difference seems quite mild. If it does not bother you terribly, my recommendation would be to leave it alone. Repeating surgery, for all its costs and risks, is likely not your best option. more

David Bogue, MD

6 reviews

Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

www.drbogue.com

If it is close, leave it be.

Hello, Patients occasionally consider additional surgery in cases in which it offers little benefit. Some surgeons simply agree even when they know this, so as not to deny their patients anything. As you consider more surgery think about how you might feel if the change afterward was so small that you could barely see it. If this risk is acceptable, then think about proceeding. Otherwise give it time and think longer.

If it isn't a significant difference, leave it alone.

I have to agree with the other surgeons on this one. It is not uncommon to have some difference in the breast shape post-op if they were slightly different pre-op. If you are happy with the size, and okay with the shape, leave it alone. With any revision you run the risk of implant rupture, infection, capsular contracture and asymmetry. If you add saline to an already full implant, you increase the risk of rupture and the implant will be too firm. Give it another 6 months and see if you... more

Look at your preop photos for the answer

Most always minor differences patients notice postop are just magnifications of the natural asymmetries that were present before surgery. Often it is best to just accept these.

If It Ain't Badly Broke...

Breast Augmentation rarely ever produces "perfect" results. If either the patient or surgeon looks hard enough, there is almost always some element that could be "just a little better", whether it's size, shape, or final scar. Most of the time, these "imperfections" are minor and acceptable to both doctor and patient. These are better left alone, accepting the fact that they can be corrected the next time around (which there almost always will be, when it... more