How Much Does a Breast Implant Revision Cost?

A breast implant revision costs $10,258 on average, but your price could range from $4,500 to $20,000, according to 422 patient reviews.

The lower end of this price range reflects out-of-pocket expenses for patients who:

• had a portion of their surgery cost covered by insurance or a warranty from their implant manufacturer, or
• had their revision performed by the same surgeon as their initial procedure, who waived all or part of their surgeon’s fee

Read on to find out what to look for in a price quote, when insurance might cover it, why costs vary so much, and whether actual patients say their results were worth the investment.

What to look for in a price quote

During your consultation with a prospective surgeon, ask them for an all-in, personalized cost quote. Get it in writing, and make sure it includes:

• The surgeon’s fee (unless it’s being waived) 
• Anesthesia fees
• Facility fees for the hospital or surgery center
• Lab work and medical tests
• New implants (if needed)
• Any additional materials (like soft tissue scaffolds) or surgical supplies
• Complementary procedures like fat grafting
• Follow-up appointments
• Prescription medications and other supplies you’ll need during your recovery time (like a surgical bra)

If those costs aren’t included in your doctor’s estimate, you’ll still need to factor them into your total budget for your breast implant revision procedure.

Why breast revision surgery costs vary

These are the biggest factors that will impact the price of your breast implant revision surgery.

1. Your surgeon’s credentials, level of experience, and reputation

At a bare minimum, it’s important to see a board-certified plastic surgeon for your breast augmentation revision, to ensure your provider has the education and training to safely perform this procedure.

Board certification also guarantees that your surgeon is keeping up with the latest best-practice techniques, guidelines, and protocols to factor into your treatment plan.

Certain plastic surgeons specialize in breast surgery or are known for being especially adept at revising breast aug complications. These doctors will be able to charge more for their time and unique expertise.

Assuming you have a good relationship with the surgeon who performed your primary breast procedure, it makes sense to at least consult with them on your revision.

“Your best bet, regardless of cost, is to go back to your original surgeon,” says Dr. Orna Fisher, a board-certified plastic surgeon in San Mateo, California. She explains that not only will they know exactly what they did, but they’ll have the best understanding of your anatomy and how it’s healing from your specific procedure.

Revisiting the doctor who performed your initial breast augmentation can save you money, too. “For many surgeons, it is customary to perform revisions for [only] the cost of anesthesia and facility fees [and no surgeon’s fee],” says Dr. Jason Hess, a plastic surgeon in San Diego. 

This is particularly true if you’re seeking a revision due to a complication—like capsular contracture (tightening of the scar tissue that forms around the implant), bottoming out, asymmetry, double bubble, or other implant pocket problems—versus simply wanting to go a size up or down with your implants. 

Dr. York Jay Yates, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Layton, Utah, explains that while each plastic surgeon has their own revision policies, “Many will charge little to nothing for revisions related to complications. Most will charge you something for implant size exchange, but many will give you a patient-loyalty discount.” 

Some breast implant manufacturers—including Mentor and Sientra—provide implant warranties in the case of complications. These may cover the cost of replacement implants and provide some financial assistance for your revision procedure.

However, surgeons are less likely to waive their fee for revisions to address aesthetic breast tissue changes related to childbirth, breastfeeding, weight loss, or aging. Often, these circumstances can create new skin laxity that requires a breast lift or breast reduction, along with implant revision.

2. Where your surgery is performed 

With all cosmetic procedures, geography holds considerable sway over pricing, with surgeons in big cities charging more to cover higher overhead costs.

You may even get very different price quotes from surgeons in different neighborhoods. If you’re looking for ways to save, it may be worth your time (and another consultation fee) to get at least two personalized estimates.

Surgeons who share a practice, splitting rent and other costs with their colleagues, may offer more competitive pricing.

Another factor is the type of surgical facility where your cosmetic surgery takes place. Your surgeon’s private surgery center will likely charge a lower facility fee than a hospital operating room. 

3. The type of anesthesia you have and who administers it

The total price of anesthesia typically includes the anesthesia provider fee and the hospital or facility anesthesia fee, which covers the cost of supplies, medications, and additional staff.

Depending on the extent of your surgical procedure, it may require general anesthesia or local with IV sedation.

Either of these options will need to be administered by a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) or an anesthesiologist (an MD). A board-certified anesthesiologist has more advanced training, so they will charge more, but your surgeon might prefer working with them to increase your safety.

More minor procedures—like straightforward implant exchanges or a breast implant removal—can safely be done under local anesthesia with an oral sedative. This can be administered by your surgeon or a member of their staff, so it’s the most cost-effective option.

4. The complexity of your procedure 

Again, breast implant revision can mean anything from a simple implant swap to a complete overhaul of the breast implant pocket with the creation of an “internal bra” using a soft tissue scaffold. Your individual needs will influence the complexity of the operation.

“If you’re only changing the size of your original implants, this can be a very simple, straightforward operation, done at a lesser cost than your initial surgery,” explains Dr. Yates.

“Occasionally, only the inframammary fold requires repair,” says Dr. Hess. “Sometimes a capsulectomy is required and a dermal matrix [or soft tissue scaffold] may need to be implanted, to support the weight of the implant and prevent further bottoming out. Essentially, the more work and the more OR time, the higher the fee.”

Some surgeons are reportedly performing revisions to address animation deformity—the implants moving up and down every time the pec muscle flexes. This is an example of a more complex revision, because it involves relocating the implants from behind the muscle to in front of the muscle (usually in the subfascial plane), and typically incorporating soft tissue scaffolds.

Again, if your surgeon uses additional materials like Strattice or GalaFLEX to reinforce the tissues, support the implants, and minimize future complications, these will add to your overall cost (usually by $1,000 or more).

If your breast implant revision is coupled with a separate procedure—a breast lift to address skin laxity, for instance, or fat grafting to help conceal the implant—your total cost could jump up significantly. 

5. The type of implants you get 

Oftentimes, in a revision breast augmentation procedure, the same implant can be used (assuming they’re intact and you’re happy with your breast size), potentially saving you thousands of dollars. 

If your breast augmentation surgery requires an implant exchange, the breast implant replacement price will depend on the type of device you choose. Usually, saline implants cost about $1,000 for a pair while silicone options, like memory gel or highly cohesive gummy bear implants cost $2,000 to $3,000, says Dr. Pablo Prichard, a plastic surgeon in Scottsdale, Arizona. “The size of the implant does not matter, only the type of implant.”

Will insurance pay for breast implant revision surgery?

If you originally had breast implants placed for cosmetic reasons, your health insurance company is unlikely to pay for a revision. 

If your primary procedure was deemed medically necessary or was a breast reconstruction related to cancer, however, revisions are generally covered—especially if it’s being performed to address a complication, like an implant rupture.

In such cases, “breast reconstruction for the affected breast as well as your other breast for symmetry is a medically necessary procedure and, by law, insurance companies must provide coverage for this,” says Great Neck, New York, plastic surgeon Dr. Kevin Tehrani.

Your provider’s patient care coordinator can help you determine whether you might qualify for coverage and what documentation you may need to provide.

Can you finance breast implant revision surgery?

Yes, most practices offer payment plans or accept financing options.

For example, the CareCredit credit card is widely accepted by providers across the U.S., for both plastic surgery and nonsurgical procedures.

Breast implant revision costs in U.S. states

Browse average breast implant revision costs in U.S. states, according to recent RealSelf member reviews (as of July 2023). States not currently listed did not have enough data to include.

Breast implant revision costs in major U.S. metros

Average costs according to patient-reported data. As of July 2023, the cheapest metro area in the U.S. to get breast implant revision surgery is Las Vegas, while people tend to pay the most in Los Angeles. Cities not listed did not have enough data to include.