This really depends on how you heal, where the incisions are (full anchor, vertical lollipop, or periareolar lifts all have different incision patterns), and how much breast volume you naturally have in terms of how full you will be postop. Lifting the breast can reduce cup size by up to half a cup in many patients (for instance, full C down to small C or full B), so you need to be sure you have enough breast tissue of your own to get the projection you seek if you are removing implants without replacement.

Healing takes four to six weeks for incisions to be mostly closed and three months to be fully closed to a solid scar. Nipple sensation loss is a small risk - temporary numbness occurs frequently but permanent numbness is rare unless you have significant blood supply problems with nipple tissue loss, which again is rare and a major issue surgeons pay effort to avoid in surgery.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Removing the implants is quite a radical approach, especially if you have had them for many years and you do not have much breast tissue. I do this even under a local anesthetic only.

Dr. Edward Jonas Domanskis is Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
Newport Beach, San Francisco,Miami, Italy, Anguilla
949.640-6324/1.888.234-5080(Ca)
FAX- 949.640-7347
Website: http://www.surgery-plastic.com
Assistant Clinical Professor of SurgeryWOS-Plastic,University of California (Irvine)
Orange County’s Physician of Excellence/America’s Top Physicians/Top Doctors
Plastic Surgery- 2005-2017
President,American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons
www.ASBPS.org
Organoderm Skin care/ScaRxTape

Published on Jul 11, 2012

It is important to know if the silicone breast implant is ruptured within the capsule or outside of it. This can be determined generally by an MRI scan or less accurately by a mammogram. If the silicone gel is located outside the capsule, I would recommend that the free gel and ruptured implant be removed to avoid silicone granuloma formation and extravasation and permeation into the soft tissues of the breast or axilla.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

The first question I would ask you would be, "do you really want to have smaller breasts after deciding on breast augmentation in the first place?" In your case, you have to make a decision whether you wish to forego having a re-augmentation or pursue the consequences of removing your implants.

It is very simple to replace your implants. It requires removing the old ruptured ones and replacing them with a similar size, or exactly the same size or larger size implants with a very short recovery period. Because the risk of deflation is so low, your subsequent risks will be similarly very low and may make you very happy if that is your conclusion. The risk of nipple sensory loss is about 1%.

If you've decided you no longer want to have as full of a figure, then you may wish to have a more perky appearance once you remove your implants. If that is your goal then you may need to accept either an anchor scar or a periareolar lift scar, and possibly a lollipop scar in your mid breast. There is no way to know based on your question what the exact surgical requirements are without me examining you fully and going through a consultation process to define your goals.

In my practice, most people who need a major lift for a grade III or IV ptosis (natural sagging) require an anchor or circum-vertical breast lift. The incisions required are best assessed by looking at other patients on my website in order to have an excellent comparison to your needs. I achieve the scar results you see through careful management of the scar under my direct supervision using Vanek cosmeceuticals scar management creams, as well as lasering your scars multiple times once you've healed beginning at two months or so. I use broadband light (BBL) Sciton laser once a month for three months to help remodel and color manage your scars to make them as mature as possible as quickly as possible.

Depending on the type of implants you have, removing them through an inframammary fold incision and then doing a breast lift usually gives you about a one week recovery time. In seven to 10 days your incisions are healed. You're showering a day or so after surgery. Usually there are no drains involved. You should restrict heavy exercise activities for about three weeks to minimize risks of seroma and bleeding.

Contact my office for more individualized assessment and perhaps arrange for a consultation to discuss the details of your unique circumstances before you make any decision. I look forward to meeting you.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Is this what you want? If not, go visit a few ABPS certified/ASAPS member surgeons that specializes in revision breast surgery. Having a ruptured implant does not mean you can't have implants anymore. Best of luck! Instagram: @drgeraldminniti

Published on Jul 11, 2012