Understanding breast augmentation revision  

Breast augmentation remains the most popular cosmetic surgery procedure worldwide and studies show that it records one of the highest satisfaction rates – currently, the aesthetic review site RealSelf records a 98% ‘worth it’ rate for breast enhancement, outranking all other breast, body and face operations.

With such high satisfaction rates, it might seem strange to be discussing revision or secondary surgery as it’s probably the last thing on your mind when you’re contemplating undergoing a breast augmentation. However, given the young age of many breast augmentation patients, it’s likely you will have to undergo further surgery at some point so it’s essential you know everything there is to know about breast augmentation revision.

Here are some of the common reasons for breast revision surgery we see at our Warwickshire cosmetic surgery clinic.

Dissatisfaction with your breast implant size and/or shape

According to recent statistics released by the FDA in the US, 37% of breast revision surgery procedures are to increase the size of the implants. Sometimes patients regret size choice straightaway, but fluctuations in your body and breast shape as you get older might also dictate a breast implant change

Capsular contracture and breast augmentation revision

after the implant is placed in the breast pocket, the body responds by forming a protective tissue to surround the implant. However, for some patients, this tissue can harden and compress the implant, causing discomfort and aesthetically displeasing changes to the breasts. Typically, this happens in the first weeks and months after surgery, but can occur at any time.

Mr Alan Park will release the scar tissue and replace the implants – it is not possible to fully prevent recurrence, but certain types of implants have a lower incidence of capsular contracture.

Breast implant rupture

Mr Alan Park mostly uses silicone implants and newest implant technology means that even if they rupture, the silicone gel may remain in the shell or in the scar tissue that has formed around the implant. Again, this can happen in the first few months post-surgery or can occur many years after your procedure.

If you suspect your implant may have ruptured, Mr Alan Park can organise an imaging scan such as an MRI to investigate further. There is no evidence that ruptured breast implants can cause breast cancer or conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Aesthetic concerns

Breast augmentation revision surgery may be required if you weren’t happy with the results immediately after surgery or you’ve seen changes such as bottoming out where the implants may have dropped on the chest wall or loss of weight has resulted in breast implant ripples.

Breast implant revision may be required for many different reasons, so as a result the procedure is always individually tailored to your unique concerns. It is usually far more challenging than the initial procedure, so choosing a qualified and highly experience cosmetic breast surgery specialist is a must.