Have capsular contracture in right breast. Do both implants need to be replaced for symmetry?

As long as you are using the same size implant there is no need to operate on the side that isn’t encapsulated. I’m sure there are surgeons who would do both sides to try best to achieve symmetry and I could not fault that approach either

Dear Jubilant964906,
it is hard to tell for sure without an examination. Generally speaking, it is possible to replace only one implant and achieve symmetry. 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, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

As long as the opposite side is soft and looks good then you dont have to have anything done to the other side. I would make sure the "good" side is soft, as in some cases given the capsular contracted is firm, one may consider the opposite side as soft, but in reality you could have a mild capsule on the "good side". A board certified plastic surgeon would be able to assess this and make the recommendations of what is the best approach.
Hope that helps.

Thank you for your question. It is difficult to answer without pictures but in general you don’t have to address the good side at the same time. You also should look into a non surgical treatment for capsular contracture called Aspen ultrasound as an alternative to surgery. Best of luck.

The difficult part in your journey at this time is that recurrence of capsular contracture can be as high as 30% or more in people who have already had a capsular contracture. It sounds like your doctors are doing the right things treating you with medications to minimize this. Furthermore, you can have the implants taken out as well as the capsules and have them replaced in an effort to see if this treatment option gives you the aesthetic result that you want without the capsular contracture. However, it is going to be difficult to guarantee that you will not get a capsular contracture in the future. There are some ultrasound-guided massage therapies that provide softening of the capsules, however, there is limited evidence on this. Furthermore, removing the implants is an option as well to treat your discomfort and I would hope that this would do so. This can be a tough scenario. I truly hope you can have relief of your symptoms. Have a goal directed conversation with your board-certified plastic surgeon and we are happy to help you in any way we can.