BREAST IMPLANT EXCHANGE
Advanced Plastic Surgery, a state-of-the-art breast enhancement center, specializes in cosmetic breast surgery. Baltimore area physician, Dr. Nassif E. Soueid is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with advanced skills, techniques and experience for beautiful breast enhancement.
Saline to silicone breast implants.
Upgrading from saline breast implants to silicone breast implants is a common reason for exchanging breast implants. While saline breast implants can result in excellent outcomes for most patients, some women become concerned that these breast implants feel firmer and less “natural” than natural breasts. Saline breast implants also can predispose to “ripples” that can be seen and felt at the sides of the breasts. Rippling can be corrected by changing saline breast implants to FDA-approved silicone gel-filled breast implants, which are softer and more natural than saline implants.
Our advice for patients that want the “most natural” breast augmentation is silicone gel-filled breast implants. Saline and silicone breast implants may experience leaks at the external shell, which would prompt a breast implant exchange. Leaks are usually due to “wear and tear” and are more likely in older implants. When a saline breast implant leaks it becomes completely deflated and requires replacement to restore a normal appearance. Silicone breast implant ruptures are less obvious, but should also be exchanged for optimal results.
Every breast augmentation patient should anticipate having a breast implant exchange.
We advise all breast augmentation patients that an eventual breast implant exchange should be anticipated sometime in the future. A breast implant exchange procedure is generally much easier and less invasive than the original surgery. Patients experience less pain and have a faster recovery because the pocket for the breast implants already exist. This is especially true if the patient has large pockets for the breast implants that are soft and require no manipulation of any scar tissue. If significant scar tissue correction is required during a breast implant exchange, then there is more discomfort. When the capsule surrounding the breast implant is tight and very scarred, then extra scar tissue manipulation will be required to place the new breast implants. If the entire implant tissue capsule has to be removed at the time of breast implant exchange, a procedure called “complete capsulectomy”, then there may be more discomfort. Re-positioning the implant from above to below the chest muscle causes the most discomfort after breast implant exchange. When more work is required, more discomfort is anticipated afterwards. However, discomfort is still typically less than with breast augmentation surgery.
Breast implant exchange plastic surgery procedure is a helpful tool for patients requesting to improve on the results of breast augmentation. Some patients request implant exchange in order to upgrade to a different cup size, a new breast implant shape or to obtain FDA-approved silicone gel-filled implants. In general, the vast majority of women who undergo breast implant exchange are happy with the results of surgery and are able to enjoy the benefits of having attractive breasts and a high self-esteem for a long time.
