My ribcage is bothering me 6 years after getting implants. Could it be caused by the implants?

Hello @lxchanel33 thank you for your question. A consultation with your plastic surgeon is essential. Send your specialist a message or a phone call because if something is happening it can be controlled quickly. Best wishes! Alan Gonzalez MD FACS

Hello, thank you for you question. Sorry to hear that you have been experiencing chronic discomfort and pain with your implants. Consider going to your family doctor for an examination of the area and rule out any other possibilities. Although it is possible to have some initial pain from breast augmentation one that lasts for up to 6 years is not so common. Something to help alleviate perhaps the pressure on the ribs is to wear a supportive bra always including work outs. You still need continuous support to the area.

Dear lxchanel33,
I understand your concern. However, without a proper assessment, it would be difficult to determine what went wrong. It is best that you visit your plastic surgeon for further assessment or ask for a second opinion. Only after a thorough examination, you can get proper recommendations and advice.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

I'm sorry to hear of the discomfort you are experiencing. I encourage you to return to your surgeon for an evaluation to determine if your pain is related to your implants. If it isn't your surgeon will advise you the next step to take.

You may have some scar tissue that is pressing on a small sensory nerve. You could visit with a pain specialist and see if injections can relieve some of your discomfort, or go down in size.

What do you mean by 'bother'? If you just feel the presence of the implants like there's something in your body that shouldn't be there, then you are unlucky enough to have a very rare phenomenon called 'implant awareness' where your brain doesn't switch off and 'get used to' the implants. There's not much that can be done about this but remove the implants if they are really bothersome (although sometimes moving the implants from below the muscle to over the muscle can help). Other possibilities include capsular contracture, with the scar tissue around the implants tightening and pulling on the underlying rib cage. The weight of the implants over time can also put a strain on the ribs and cause costochonditis (inflammation of the rib cartilage). These things can be assessed with a proper examination so see a plastic surgeon for this. Good luck