How Concerned Should I Be About Breast Implant Complications?
Every type of surgery, including cosmetic procedures like breast enhancement, come with some degree of risk of complications. That’s simply the nature of the surgical process. As plastic surgery experts and educators, we at Atlanta Plastic Surgery always do what we can to make sure our patients are aware of such things before any procedure has taken place. Today, we wanted to speak more specifically about what patients should know about potential breast surgery complications.
Before we go too far into this discussion, we wanted to reiterate the truth about breast implant complications, which is that they are actually very rare. That doesn’t mean that women considering breast augmentation, or those who have already undergone the procedure, shouldn’t be aware of potential complications and how they can affect their results over time. We just didn’t want to scare anyone off by thinking these issues were more common than they are in reality.
Breast Implant Complications to Know:
Capsular Contracture – The most common complication associated with breast enhancement, capsular contracture results from scar tissue forming and hardening around a breast implant. This new scar tissue can tighten around an implant, leading to an uncomfortable hardening of the affected breast.
Implant Rippling – Unlike capsular contracture, breast implant rippling is a purely cosmetic complication. However, it can still be a nuisance. When the tissue overlying the implant begins to stick to the implant, it can lead to rippling of the implant that can affect how the breast looks.
Implant Displacement – Positioning of the breasts after surgery is just as critical as size or shape. However, breast implants can become displaced, either naturally over a long period of time, or as a result of a specific trauma or even capsular contracture.
Bottoming Out – Bottoming out occurs when a breast implant begins to descend toward the lower pole of the breast, increasing the distance between the nipple and inframammary crease. This can make the upper pole of the breast appear flat and the nipple to appear too high.
In the event that a complication does occur, patients have options. This includes the removal and/or replacement of an original breast implant in a procedure known as breast revision surgery. No matter the patient’s needs, our expert plastic surgeons take pride in communicating all of our patients options and helping them work towards the most fitting solution possible. For more information or if you would like to schedule a plastic surgery consultation at one of our Atlanta area locations, contact Atlanta Plastic Surgery today. Don’t forget to follow along with us on Facebook and Twitter for additional plastic surgery tips and news and much more.
