Corrective Breast Surgery

July 9th, 2011 |

Author: slink

I was talking to a former patient who's friend is no longer satisfied with how her breast implants look. She wondered if that is very common. I can tell you that it is quite common. Sometimes the issue stems from a leaking or ruptured implant. Many women don’t realize that breast implants don’t last forever and sometimes they need to be replaced.

I also see a lot of women who have become dissatisfied with the appearance of their breast implants. Sometimes it’s a breast augmentation patient with retro-glandular saline implants (placed behind the breast tissue, but over the muscular tissue) . Retro-glandular implants seem to work well initially and the majority of patients have good long-term results. However, those who experience pregnancy or weight loss can have poor results due to stretching of the skin or capsular contraction, a condition characterized by scar tightening around the implants that makes them hard to the touch or causes an uneven shape.

I now opt to do more and more of my patient’s augmentations subpectoral (behind the muscle). The subpectoral augmentation is much more demanding in terms of exact placement of the implants. The symmetry is also more challenging . That is why it is critical to have a skilled cosmetic surgeon.

Common problems that can occur include:

Implants that are placed too high;
Developing the “double bubble” effect (this occurs when the muscle still attached to the underside of the breast produces a visible crease across the bottom half of the breast);
And the implants may migrate laterally over time into the armpit, thereby losing the projection in front and desired cleavage.

Other problems worth mentioning here are:

Poorly selected implants in terms of shape and form
Over-inflated implants
Implants that slip under the breast
Ugly scars
Breast asymmetry - one breast bigger than the other.

I call these less-than-satisfactory results “secondary breast deformities.” As mentioned earlier, weight loss or pregnancy may be to blame. Unfortunately, however, I am also seeing too many breast implant problems that are the result of surgery poorly done by an inexperienced surgeon or that occur when an experienced surgeon refuses to update his skills and techniques, relying on outdated methods that do not produce the best results for patients.

It is true that even the best surgeon may occasionally have a result that is less than ideal. The difference is that a qualified, competent and caring plastic surgeon will work with the patient and develop an appropriat corrective action plan.

I now consider myself an expert in corrective breast surgery due to the sheer number of patients whom I have had the honor to help in this regard. It is amazing to see the boost in self image and self confidence this brings to these patients.

If you would like to learn more about breast augmentation surgery in Oklahoma or corrective breast surgery, please visit my website at www.plasticsurgeon-oklahoma.com. (Oklahoma City Plastic Surgeon)