Got mentor gel implants under the muscle 11 years ago, does the breast shrink back to normal over time?

The technique I recommend is explantation and lift using The Bellesoma Method. The implants are removed, your breast tissue is reshaped creating upper pole fullness, elevated higher on the chest wall and more medial to increase your cleavage. Vertical scars are avoided, nipple sensation (in 95%) and the ability to breast feed are maintained if not injured during your previous surgery. Later, fat transfers can be performed if additional volume is desired.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Hello, thank you for your question. Please see the detailed video I have attached that specifically answers your question. Typically, the skin takes 12-16 months to fully retract but depends on multiple factors including the size of your implants, age, height, and weight. Given that you are relatively younger, your skin has the likelihood that it will retract nicely.

Dear Sammi_05,
it is hard to tell for sure but since you had your implants for 11 years and they are probably big, there is a chance that your breasts will be saggy after removal and you will need breast lift. If you are considering surgery, I would suggest you consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination, you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MDCertified, American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Hi Sammi_05,Thanks for your inquiry. Your breasts have undergone some changes over the 11 years since you have had the implants. I definitely recommend undergoing an Explant with a Total Capsulectomy. This can be combined with a lift which is best determined by several factors. A lift is beneficial if the tissue/skin has stretched out considerably, the breasts have dropped leaving the nipple/areola at a low position and if the areola size has increased. If you meet these criteria then you will benefit from a lift. If you have a descent volume of breast tissue then a lift can help reposition this tissue to create some fullness and reconstruct the breasts. Hope this helps!Dr. Dev

Good question! Typically, the breast tissue will decompress, commonly referred to as fluffing postoperatively, and the skin tightens to some degree for many patients. This can occur for months to even one year after breast implant removal surgery. The degree of fluffing and skin retraction is highly variable from patient to patient due to several factors such as patient age, the thickness of one's subcutaneous breast tissue, and skin elasticity. The fact that you are only 31 years old likely increases your chance of having better skin elasticity than an older patient. You can refer to my website (drstraka.com) to see examples of breast implant removal patients who had simultaneous breast lifts and others who chose not to undergo or did not require breast lift surgery after their implant removal. The best way to estimate what your breasts would look like after breast implant removal would be to undergo an in-office examination by a plastic surgeon who is very experienced at performing breast implant removal surgery. That doctor could also determine if you would benefit from a simultaneous breast lift procedure. These are procedures which I personally have performed for over 25 years. I wish you the best of luck!

Hello @Sammi_05, thank you for your question. The shape after explant depends on the specialist surgical technique and this varies from doctor to doctor. It is very important to completely remove the capsule, when the capsule remains in the body it is not reabsorbed and your body may show responses to the capsules. My opinion is that breast implant removal should be combined with immediate breast reconstruction to reposition the breast tissue and enhance the projection of the upper pole and medial areas using the BRALAN (Breast Reconstruction Anatomical Lift Augmentation) Technique as the results will be aesthetically appropriate and have minimal L-shaped scarring. If you are considering a breast lift, consultation with a plastic surgeon experienced in this procedure is essential to ensure optimal results. Best of luck!

Alan Gonzalez MD, FACS. Member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery (ASPS), Member of the International Federation of Adipose Therapeutics and Science (IFATS), Member of the Colombian Society of Plastic Surgery (SCCP).

No, your tissue has been stretched and will not shrink back to an A cup. You might be able to have a lift or use Renuvion to help tighten your skin. You might even consider going down in size and have your pockets tightened.

When the implants are removed the skin will "bounce back" to some degree but since you had your implants for 11 years and increased several cup sizes it is likely a lift would be recommended. Other factors influencing your potential post op appearance include weight loss/gain, genetics, and skin elasticity. I encourage you to visit with a board certified plastic surgeon near you to learn more.

This response was dictated using Word recognition. My apologies for the rambling nature and potential grammatical errors.
There’s no yes or no answer to your question.
It depends on the number of variables.
Using excessively large implants will always lead to an increased rate of undesirable side effects, complications and need for revision surgery.
Without seeing proper before and after pictures, it’s hard for anyone to give you any kind of quality assessment.
Your implant is either ruptured or ruptured.
If it’s ruptured, then your capsule is exposed to silicone gel.
This can overtime create capsular contractions.
Doesn’t matter if the implant has a big or small tear.
There is no perfect test to determine the consistency of gel implants.
Detecting rupture is more difficult on cohesive gel implants than any other implant.
The most sensitive test is an MRI.
My best advice is to have in person consultations with the most talented and experienced plastic surgeons in your community, who are in a much better position to guide you through the decision-making process.
if you choose to remove your implants, you should be fairly certain that you do not want to go back and have implants in the future.
If you want to maintain implants, you should not have them removed, but instead have them replaced.
Variables that potentially alter the appearance of your breast compared to pre-augmentation condition include the size of implants used, the age at which time you had augmentation The number of years you had implants and some degree individual genetic composition that determines loss or maintaining skin elasticity which varies from person to person.
It is multi factorial and that’s why there’s no yes or no answer to your question.
Generally speaking, the most important variable is almost always provider selection.
In the hands of the right provider you’ll be guided in a way that serves your needs in an ideal manner.
Plastic surgeons generally don’t get paid for giving advice.
Plastic surgeons make a living by doing surgery.
They’ll generally be some biased towards having surgery, but the best plastic surgeons will serve as patient advocates and will put your needs and well-being first.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom MD