Switching: Saline to Silicone, High Profile to Moderate Plus. Advice?

asked 1 year ago by M.R. in Minneapolis, MN
Latest answer by Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Question viewed 717 times
Tags: 110-129 lbs, 5 ft 0 in to 5 ft 3 in, above muscle, saline implants, silicone implant, C cup, comparison, high profile, moderate plus profile, natural

I'm considering going from my saline implants (above muscle) to silicone (still above muscle-PS recommendation to stay above muscle because it's less intrusive & we can always go back & go under later if I'm not pleased-PS will subtract out his fees for 2nd surgery).

I am 5'2/100 lbs & have bad rippling. I went from an A cup to a C cup & the implants are obvious. Will going from a high profile saline to moderate plus gel impants make that much of a difference? Will they look more 'natural'?

6 answers to Switching: Saline to Silicone, High Profile to Moderate Plus. Advice?

Switiching implants from above saline to silicone and high to moderate profile

It is difficult to say if this will completely eliminate the rippling but it will certainly reduce it. It is thought that high profile silicone implants have less rippling than moderate. However, your moderate profile will have a softer contour and project less.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Rippling and exchange

Rippling happens when the soft tissue covering is very thin. Sometimes there is less rippling with silicone. If there is still rippling after silicone exchange, you may want to consider alloderm placement to add another layer of coverage internally.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Implant exchanges due to rippling

Thank you for your question. Implant rippling is due to two issues - the viscosity of the implant (ie saline vs. silicone) and the thickness of the overlying soft tissue to camouflage the implant. You state that originally you were an A cup. For most women with very small breasts to begin with, a submuscular placement of a breast implant is advised to hide the implant. For patients having problems with rippling of the implants in the upper poles of the breast, I recommend a pocket change to... more

David Bogue, MD
Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

www.drbogue.com

Saline implants rippling

Switching from saline to silicone gel implants can decrease rippling, but each person needs to be treated individually. Rippling can happen in front of and behind the muscle, but it is more likely in front of the muscle. Sometimes changing the implant position is more important than the type of implant. If your rippling is due to capsular contracture, releasing the contracture may help. If your rippling is because you are very thin, and there is not enough soft tissue to disguise the... more

Joseph Mele, MD
Walnut Creek Plastic Surgeon

Position change for ripling can help

I agree with Dr. Sattler on this one. Switching to silicone can help with ripling, but most plastic surgeons would agree that the sub-muscular position will also decrease visibility of the implant. If you are going to go through a surgery to correct the ripling, I would suggest changing the position at the same time; that way you only have to go through one operation.

Jason Brett Lichten, MD
Columbus Plastic Surgeon

Breast implant swap for 'rippling'

The treatment plan you describe does not make a lot of sense- if you've got implant wrinkling, that implies that you need more soft tissue coverage over your implants. Replacing with silicone implants in the sub-glandular position is not going to provide that. Sometimes a procedure that is 'less intrusive' does not deliver the result that you're going to be happy with.

Scott Sattler, MD
Bellevue Plastic Surgeon

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