Symmastia repair? 6 months post-op large implant removal & lift (Photo)

It’s understandable you’re concerned about the noticeable stretching of your skin in the sternum area, especially following the removal of long-standing, large implants.
When implants are in place for an extended period, particularly larger ones, the skin and tissues around the sternum can significantly stretch and lose elasticity. After explantation, without implants to support these tissues, the stretching can become more visible.
Solutions your surgeon mentioned—such as dermal matrices (ADM)—can indeed reinforce tissue support, helping improve the contour without requiring new implants. Fat grafting or additional lift techniques can also be options, depending on your anatomy.
Since your surgeon appears hesitant, seeking a second opinion is completely reasonable. You might consider consulting with a board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in complex breast revisions or reconstruction after implant removal. They’ll offer guidance tailored specifically to your situation.
I hope this helps guide your next steps clearly. Consulting with an experienced revision surgeon would be beneficial for exploring effective solutions.
— Güray Yeşiladalı, MD

Thanks for your question! Symmastia can be a very difficult thing to address once the cat is out of the bag. I would suggest finding a breast specialist in your area. Good luck!

Synmastia is a difficult problem to repair. However, if you really want to try to have it fixed, you will likely need to have your surgeon use some type of dermal matrix (i.e. cadaver or pig skin). I have had some nice results with that, as long as no implants are replaced.