Breast Caved in After Removal? What Next? Can Time Fix This? Lift? (photo)

Question

My breast are caved in after removal. I want to be implant free if possible. Will time heal this? Will they fluff up? Will a lift fix it? Thanks to all you who reply.

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

Thank you for the question and pictures.

	 Your concern is understandable after viewing the picture. Although you do not say how far out of surgery you are currently, the incisions do appear relatively fresh.  Therefore, you should have some peace of mind that the appearance of the breasts will likely improve to some degree over the course of the next few months and even up to one year after surgery.  Exactly how much skin contraction and “bounce back” will occur is impossible to predict.

	 Although easier said than done, I would suggest continued patience; do not rush into any type of surgery in the near future. Again, allow several  additional months to pass before making a judgment.  You may find that massage of the breasts skin  may be helpful. If in the long term, if the degree of skin retraction is not satisfactory, some skin excision (mastopexy) may be necessary/helpful.

	 I hope this helps.

Jed H. Horowitz, MD, FACS · Answer

Good day! It is not clear how far you are along with your recovery and it is difficult to assess without an in person examination, but generally after explantation, the shape and size of the breast will be unpredictable. It is too soon to see final results because swelling and bruising may persist plus your skin and muscles will need time to adjust as well. The results varies between patients depending on their age, duration and size of the implant, or previous state of their breasts like existing anatomy, deformity, previous surgeries, underlying personal and family medical conditions, nicotine use, pregnancy and other factors. Do not hesitate to contact your surgeon about this and discuss any other additional aftercare you need for best results. Best of luck! #RealSelf100

Steven H. Williams, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question.

	Implants obviously contribute to the volume of your breasts.  When they are removed patients still have a similar skin envelope but with less volume.  This can create exactly the appearance you are struggling with.  

	 

	Time will improve things somewhat.  It is hard to know exactly how much.  Other possible treatments include mastopexy (removing some of the skin to change the skin envelope) or fat transfer (adding some of your own fat removed from part of your body to replace some of the volume once occupied by implant).

	 

	In our San Francisco practice we use both techniques to improve breast appearance after implant removal.

	 

	I hope this helps!

Norman Bakshandeh Day, MD, FACS · Answer

I dont think this will improve significantly with the passage of time. You need some sort of lift and volume enhancement.

Jourdan Gottlieb, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question and for the photo. It would help the surgeons commenting on this problem if we knew how long ago the implants were removed, and what size they were.

	From the photo, it appears they were large implants, recently removed. In that setting I would expect some contour improvement, but I expect not enough to resolve the problem, At a minimum, a breast lift will be suggested. Fat grafting to restore some of the lost volume may also be appropriate. Allow at least three months for post op changes before making any decisions.

	Best wishes.

Breast Caved in After Removal? What Next? Can Time Fix This? Lift? (photo)

Answers (7)

Answer: Removal

Answer: Removal

Answer: Deformity after implants removed.

Answer: Deformity after implants removed.

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Everything you need to know about Breast Implant Removal

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Breast Caved in After Removal? What Next? Can Time Fix This? Lift? (photo)

Answers (7)

Answer: Removal

Answer: Removal

Answer: Deformity after implants removed.

Answer: Deformity after implants removed.

Browse related questions

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Breast Implant Removal

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.