The decision to undergo cosmetic surgery is a big one, so it is important to make sure that each patient is satisfied with their results. Occasionally women receive breast augmentations at other practices that they are unhappy with; or women who were once happy with their results, change their mind, and wish to exchange their breast implants for a smaller or bigger size – for these women, Dr. David Whiteman in Atlanta, Ga offers breast revision surgery. Also called a “re-do”, or in some practices breast reconstruction, patients can opt for breast revision surgery to “revise” or correct the look of their previously augmented breasts.
The effects of pregnancy or drastic weight gain and/or weight loss are among the most common reasons why women become dissatisfied with the results of prior breast enhancement procedures. In these instances, a new implant or a breast lift may be recommended for women to restore their look after the effects of their body change. Breast revision surgery can also be a solution for women who wish to increase or decrease the size of their implants, breast implant exchange (from saline to silicone or vice versa), or remove their implants altogether.
Breast implant removal involves surgically re-opening the breast (typically via the same breast augmentation incisions as the original procedure to eliminate any excess scarring) and removing the breast implant and any surrounding scar tissue that has formed around the implant shell. For those women who elect not to have their old implants replaced, breast lift surgery (mastopexy) may be performed in conjunction with implant removal to return the breast to a higher, more aesthetically appealing location.
While complications with breast implants are rare if adequate post surgical care is received, breast revision surgery can also be the solution for certain breast implant complications such as: wrinkling, implant leak, capsular contracture (hardening of the tissue surrounding the implant), or bottoming out (a drop in the location of the implant). Other women seek a revisionary procedure after a mastectomy in the treatment of breast cancer; this type of procedure is referred to as breast reconstruction.
Because every patient’s reasons for wanting breast revision surgery are different, and every revisionary surgery is different, Dr. Whiteman works with patients to craft a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to their individual needs.