Can fluid be removed from my implants to reduce their size?

 Generally speaking, if patients have saline breast implants in place some fluid may be removed to decrease their size.  Doing so however may expose the patient's to problems such as breast implant rippling.  Keep in mind that removal of saline from breast implants does involve an operation (can not be done percutaneously).  Given the age of your breast implants, I think that you will be best off undergoing removal/replacement of the breast implants.My best advice: select your plastic surgeon carefully. Make sure that he/she has significant experience achieving the types of outcomes you will be pleased with. Then, communicate your goals carefully, as well. Working together you will come up with a good plan to achieve your goals.  Best wishes. 

Dear Bettygail,
Thank you for your question.  Depending on the type of saline implant you have, it may or may not be possible to do what you are asking.  Certain saline implants used to come with a remote port for volume adjustment, and with those implants it is possible to remove fluid without creating a puncture in the implant.  If you still have your implant information, it will say it on there.  Most saline implants, however, are typically not of that kind, and are not meant to be deflated or inflated after the surgery.  If a surgeon were to insert a needle through your skin and into one of these implants in order to remove fluid, the puncture hole in the implant would remain, and the implant would continue to leak fluid into your body.  Your body reabsorbs this saline without any issues.  Sometimes I offer such percutaneous deflation to patients who want to be smaller but who also want to eventually switch out to a smaller implant.  I tell these women that once we remove fluid from their implants, their implants will lose all of their volume.   Consult with a board certified plastic surgeon about your concerns with your current implants in order to find out what all your options are.