Lost 15 lbs and the implant started rippling? (Photo)

Question

Had BA surgery (250CC silicone above the muscle) in September 2023. I lost 15 lbs in the previous 3 months. the implant started to ripple(shown in the pics). How bad is it? I'm not sure weight loss is the only reason since I did some pull-ups, pull-ups, ran a lot and slept without bras slept on my stomach sometimes .Will the rippling just go away by itself?Can I continue doing pull up push up and lose more fat?Besides surgery, r there any other ways to get rid of it? Thank you in advance.

Karl William Schwarz, MD · Answer

Your rippling is now visible for two reasons: One, your weight loss has thinned out the tissue between your implant making the edges of the implant more visible and two, the placement of the implant directly under the breast rather then the chest muscle. By placing an implant under the muscle there is another layer of tissue that can cover the implant and make it hard to see or fee rippling.

There are solutions but unfortunately all of them involve surgery. A simple solution would be fat grafting to the area of implant visibility. A small amount of liposuction can gain some fat and this fat can be grafted to the area to help increase the tissue coverage of the implant. Sometimes a second repeat fat grafting is necessary.

A more invasive approach would be to relocate your implants to the sub-pectoral position, that is under the pectoralis major muscle, (your large chest muscle) and you could also use a material such as Strattice to provide you more tissue coverage of the implant as well and you could also add some fat grafting at the same time.

All of this just depends on how much it bothers you, how likely you are to regain the weight and what your tolerance for recovery is. There is nothing harmful going on so choosing to do nothing is also a viable option if you feel surgery is too aggressive for the problem.

I would sit down with your surgeon and discuss all of your options and take some time to consider things before making your decision.

Brian K. Reedy, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question! Unfortunately, one of the risks of going over the muscle is rippling. As you lose weight and body fat, that may get more noticeable. You may be a candidate for fat grafting to help camouflage the rippling. I would suggest reaching out to your plastic surgeon to see what your options are. Good luck!

Stanley Castor, MD · Answer

Hello,
Thank you for your question. When your implants are above the muscle, they are closer to your skin. So, if you lose weight, the skin may show ripples. It doesn't really go away unless you put on more weight so that there is more fat to cover it up. Exercising is not going to worsen the rippling. There is not a way to get rid of the rippling without doing surgery such as a fat transfer to the area or having the implant placed under the muscle. Hope that helps.

Gerald Minniti, MD, FACS · Answer

Everything you see was a predictable outcome. Subglandular surgery has not been considered a good option for anyone for a while, despite some surgeons still performing it. You'll need a revision surgery to replace your implants into the subpectoral position.

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

Rippling and wrinkling are one of the risks of breast augmentation.  They are more likely to be seen in patients with implants placed above the muscle, those with thin skin/poor elasticity, and those with minimal breast tissue.  When implants are placed under the muscle the muscle will camouflage a portion of the implant including these characteristics.

Lost 15 lbs and the implant started rippling? (Photo)

Answers (7)

Answer: It will get worse over time

Answer: It will get worse over time

Answer: Rippling

Answer: Rippling

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Lost 15 lbs and the implant started rippling? (Photo)

Answers (7)

Answer: It will get worse over time

Answer: It will get worse over time

Answer: Rippling

Answer: Rippling

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Breast Augmentation

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.