Am I dealing with snoopy deformity? What's the best way to correct it? (photos)

I don't think you have a snoopy deformity.  I think you either have a droopy breast that is hanging off the implant, or, you may have capsular contracture which has pushed the implant upwards.If the breasts are soft, then it is likely droopiness.  There are a couple of options:a)  You could go with a larger implant with more projection, and possibly move it into a submammary pocket (under the breast itself / over the muscle) to try to give the breast more lift, or, b)  You could have a breast lift done, with or without putting in a slightly larger implant

Your later post op pictures show some relative fullness in the upper breast, slight flattening in the mid breast region, and slight sag of breast tissue below the nipple/areolar complex and the fold under the breast.  This may be due to scar capsule contracture, tightening of the scar capsule around the implant, which can make the breast a little more narrow and push the implant upward, relative to your regular breast tissue.  The history of a previous infection also fits with increased scar tissue tightening.  However, the size of your implants could also be a factor, stretching the breast skin in the lower region, resulting in the slight droop.  ;Surgery would probably consist of a capsulotomy or capsulection, release of the tight scar tissue or removal of it, and placement of implants back in a recreated pocket.  If there was still some looseness below the nipples in the lower breast region, then a minimal lift could be considered by removing a doughnut shaped skin segment around the areola.  Alternatively, placement of a larger implant might be able to take up the extra skin, therebye enlarging the breast and lifting the nipples and lower breast tissue upward.  These are just my thoughts based on your photos.  You should seek out a board certified plastic surgeon with a lot of experience in revising previous breast augmentations.

Hi and thanks for your question.  IMHO you do not have a snoopy deformity. The snoopy deformity usually refers to breasts that are tuberous or tubular or many variations thereof. It appears as though you may have a capsule contracture. I feel you need to have contour correction of the pocket. A capsulectomy with abreast implant exchange. Following your staph infection the pocket was affected and therefore changed its contour. This infection caused an inflammatory reaction and subsequent capsule contracture. I am certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and have practiced in the"land of breast implants", Miami, for the past 29 years. I encourage you to look up the surgeon you eventually select and make sure they have years of experience in performing cosmetic breast surgery. Furthermore request to see before and after photos of previous patients by that doctor....not a clinic or surgery center. Do your homework......research and verify the doctor's credentials. Have they had problems with the Board of Medicine, disciplinary or otherwise. Any law suits?How about the center, clinic or facility? Are they accredited by a national organization or do they just have State approval. Understand that at the current time, there are three nationally recognized organizations responsible for the highest levels of patient safety, AAAASF, AAACH and JCHO. You owe it to yourself to position yourself for the best possible results but under the most stringent safety regulations, If you have kids, even more so.How about anesthesia? Will you have a medical doctor certified by the American Board of Anesthsiology or a certified nurse anesthetist (CRNA)? Understand that there is no substitute for research. Cosmetic surgery, no matter how simple it may be to the patients, are invasive procedures and as such carry certain risks and complications.I wish you the best on your journey. I hope that the info provided has been helpful. Should you require any further clarification, do not hesitate to contact our institute. I answer all questions personally, not through patient coordinators or other marketing individuals.In our office we use TouchMD which is a web based program in which patients have the ability to load their picture unto the program. I then evaluate them and can actually draw on the picture to show a potential patient where the incisions would be located and how the procedure is to be realized. It's all done to comply with HIPPA which is the federal law that protects the patient's medical information. Look them up. Good luck Dr PG

You may have capsular contracture if you feel like your implants feel harder than they used to and if the implants seem to have moved up higher.  If you feel like your implants are soft and they did not move upward, and you think your breast just seem to be hanging off your implants, then the issue is that your breast mass which sits on top of the implants (implants are under/deep to your breast tissue, not inside it) is falling off and needs a lift.

From your photos it looks like the encapsulated implants are riding high and your natural breast tissue is falling off of the capsule.Yes this can be corrected and putting in larger impalnts may help.But at the end of the day you have to be able to close the incision.

Your immediate post op photos demonstrate a good result.  However, the more recent photos do show a degree of snoopy deformity in which the breast tissue is falling off of the implant.  The implant appears high and this may be related to capsular contracture which is hardening and thickening of the scar tissue around the implant.  This may be a result of your history of implant infection or due to the large size of the implants.  At this point, you should have a consult with a board certified plastic surgeon who does a lot of complex breast revision cases.  You may need just a breast implant exchange with capsulectomy (removal of the thickened capsule) and/or breast lift.  A consult and exam would be the most important next step.

Possibly.  It is difficult to say without examining you in person.  It certainly seems like your "today" photos show some droop of the breast tissue off of the implant.  Given you have a history of infection however, you could also have a component of capsular contracture.  Depending on whether one or both of these things is going on depends on how to treat it.  For droop of the breast tissue off the implant, typically a lift will be needed and/or lowering of the fold beneath the breast if it is too high.  If you have capsular contracture as well then a removal of the capsule is required & new pocket is sometimes needed for a new implant.  Although you may be able to go up slightly in size you want to be careful.  Choosing an implant that is too large for your body can make you look larger than you are, make the breast look unnaturally wide, and contributes to stretch on the breast skin.  Larger implants are also heavier so you may need to add some support internally (especially if there is capsular contracture) with an internal biologic mesh such as Strattice (pig-skin).  This is often done in cases of larger implants and/or capsular contracture as the Strattice functions as an internal bra and the recurrence rate (chance of coming back) of capsular contracture has been shown to be lower with its use. Please make sure that you are consulting with board certified plastic surgeons with experience performing such operations. Good luck!

I see no "snoopy dog" deformity. But the breast tissue falling off the implant is what I see. I recommend a full lift to correct. But IN PERSON opinions are better to determine exactly what is needed... 

Thanks for writing,You do not have snoopy breasts based on your photos. It appears as thought the shape and volume is good for you. If you are considering much larger implants, I would worry. You will be adding much more weight to your chest. The base width of the implants will exceed the based width of your breasts. The is a higher risk of bottoming out and an increased risk of symmastia.I would caution you to think long and hard about such an implant change, consider 5, 10, 15 years down the road. Will you need more breast surgery? Probably yes.  Will you need a mastopexy? Probably yes. Might you get thinning of the breast and lateral migration? Probably yes. These are just a few of the things to consider. Good LuckStephen M.Davis, MD, FACSGreen Hills Plastic Surgery

Based on your photos, I do not see a snoopy deformity.  Photos show a lot of breast volume. An in person exam is needed, but I do not think you are a candidate for larger implants.  Discuss this with your Plastic Surgeon.  Best wishes!