Ask a doctor

How Are Breast Expanders Supposed to Look While Getting Filled?

I had a bilateral mastectomy due to invasive lobular cancer in one breast and had tissue expanders at the time of the surgery. I just finished my 2nd inflation (did not get inflation during surgery b/c muscles too tight) and am wondering if it is normal after 2nd inflation for breast "bumps" to be very high up on body and not have the shape of a breast. When you get addtl inflations does the breast mound lower and start to look more like breasts rather than bumps?

Doctor Answers 4

July 8th, 2010

Expansion issues

{{ voteCount >= 0 ? '+' + (voteCount + 1) : (voteCount + 1) }}

Yes, the expanders can and do ride high during expansion.  You should discuss this issue with you doctor.   The final result with the permanent prosthesis should be different looking.


Dayton Plastic Surgeon

July 4th, 2010

High Riding Expander follwoing f

{{ voteCount >= 0 ? '+' + (voteCount + 1) : (voteCount + 1) }}

In many instances the implant expander is deflated and palpable folds and wrinkles can be detected on physical exam. Due to the need to cover the implant  with muscle entirely, the implants freqeuntly appear to be high. This can be lowered at subequent surgerys

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
July 4th, 2010

Tissue expander

{{ voteCount >= 0 ? '+' + (voteCount + 1) : (voteCount + 1) }}

The expander could be too high because of the tight muscle.

If the muscle was so tight then ALLODERM should have been used to bridge the edge of the muscle to the inframammary line. That will allow more relaxed tissue and better coverage for the expander and then the implant.

Samir Shureih, MD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

July 2nd, 2010

Breast tissue expanders

{{ voteCount >= 0 ? '+' + (voteCount + 1) : (voteCount + 1) }}

Expanders are not breast implants. They are used to expand the chest skin they will not look like breasts until the second stage.

Steven Wallach, MD

These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.