Revisions are always possible. The best advice is to allow for adequate healing and stabilization of tissues postop. This will generally take 4-6 months and allow for swelling to resolve and implants to settle. Once you reach a plateau, you can make an educated decision regarding revision/upsize based on where you are rather than where you were.

As always, discuss your concerns with your board-certified plastic surgeon (ABPS).

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Look at your pre-op photos next to your post-op photos. Many patients quickly forget from whence they have come. The fact that "nobody mentions it" doesn't necessarily mean that no one notices; it just means that they are kind.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Have a frank discussion with your implant surgeon. It is very difficult to determine the exact size and shape implant you will require to best match your ideal breast image without an examination by a board-certified plastic surgeon. Not just any board-certified plastic surgeon, but one with many years of frequently performing breast augmentation surgery including: different approaches, techniques and implant choices. This is because several measurements, not to mention your breast characteristics, are needed to determine the optimal implant size to obtain your goals. Without knowing these dimensions, it would be difficult to make this determination. For example, the existing base width of your breast will determine, in many cases, the maximal volume per implant profile that you can accommodate. To illustrate: a 100 cc difference may make a significant difference with a narrow base width breast, but much less of a difference if you have a wide chest wall and wide breast “foot print”. Therefore, just because your friend may have a great result with let’s say a 550 cc implant to make her go from a “A” cup to a “C” cup size does not mean that you will have the same result with the same size implant. Further simply placing implants in a bra to determine the size best for you is not always accurate as the bra often distorts the size, is dependent on the pressure the bra places plus the implant is outside your breast and not under it among other variables. Computer software morphing programs that automatically determine the best implant size can be helpful in some but not all cases (e.g. doesn’t work well in my experience with existing implants, sagging or asymmetric breasts). Using “want-to-be” photos, however, are useful if simply provided to the surgeon.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

A 550 cc high profile implant on a narrow-framed individual (34") is not a handful. If you are unhappy about your result, you should discuss this with your surgeon. A 550 cc implant weighs in excess of 1 lb.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

A 550 cc implant should be filled to 600 cc's, which would increase the size by three cups or make you a D/DD in a Victoria's Secret bra. You might have massive pectoral muscles (unlikely for a female), you may have bilateral deflation (also unlikely), or you may not have received 550's. Without examining you, it would be impossible for me to say. I suppose you could have a mammogram. At any rate, replacing the implants is your only option. It is hard to imagine how you could be flat with a 3- cup jump.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

I'm sorry to hear about the “stress” you are experiencing after breast augmentation surgery. You should be aware that it is not unusual for patients to feel that they are “too small” or “too big” early on after breast augmentation surgery. Most patients who feel this way ultimately are pleased with the results of surgery. Many patients who feel that they are too small immediately after surgery find, as the breast implants “drop and fluff”, that the breasts actually appear larger to them.

If, at all possible, it will be best for you to wait a period of at least 3 to 6 months before making any final decisions about the procedure that has been performed. I routinely ask my patients to wait at least 3-6 months before evaluating the end results of the breast augmentation surgery. This waiting time allows patients to physically and psychologically adapt to the new body image.

There are both physiological and “psychological” reasons to wait on having revisionary surgery. From the physiological standpoint, it takes many months ( and even up to one year) to see the final results of surgery. factors such as swelling, tissue contraction, skin redraping, implant shifting etc. come into play.

From the psychological standpoint, patients undergo an “adaptation period" during which time they get used to the changes that the surgical procedure has brought about. Severe emotional swings can also occur after any type of surgical procedure.

Obviously, it is best for patients not to be making important decisions ( for example about the results of surgery and/or the need for additional surgery) while they are experiencing these emotional “ups and downs”.
I hope this helps.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

You should have a good discussion with your surgeon and go from there. Express your feelings.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

I can understand your concern and desire to be satisfied, as that is always our goal as a surgeon. 550cc saline implants should be a noticeable change from a 34A, but it depends on how it was placed and what your end goal is as well. Implant exchanges can be done very successfully, but I would suggest having a frank conversation with your surgeon. Your surgery was quite recent, so your final result is still going to look a bit different than what it is now. I wish you the best of luck, but again, it is most important that you be upfront and honest with your surgeon so he or she can help you get to where you want to be.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Go back to your surgeon and see what he or she suggests.

Published on Jul 11, 2012