Elective Implant Exchange
in Irvine, CA
One of the more common reasons women visit Dr. Andrew Smith for secondary breast augmentation is to have their breast implants exchanged.
Orange County women choose this surgery for aesthetic reasons and to correct complications. Through years of experience performing complicated breast reconstruction procedures, Dr. Smith has refined the techniques needed to create beautiful results even under challenging circumstances.
If you live in Riverside or Orange County and you need breast augmentation revision with new implants, request a using his online form or call (949)-653-7000.
There are many reasons women visit Dr. Smith to have their breast implants exchanged, including one or a combination of the following:
While breast implants are not made to last a lifetime, today’s implants are made with coverings that are more elastic and durable than those made many years ago. If you are happy with your implants and not having any complications, there is no need to replace them.
If there are no complications to correct, Dr. Smith usually prefers to make the incision in the place where the scar from the original procedure is located.
He will remove the implants and replace them with new ones. Expect recovery to be comparable to your original procedure, but it may be easier due to modern techniques and the fact that the implant pocket already exists. If there is another reason for the implant exchange, such as addressing a complication or changing the implant location, the procedure will be more complex.
Dr. Smith may need to re-create or reinforce the implant pocket, remove scar tissue, or address other complications. These procedures are more involved and more time consuming than primary procedures, and recovery is usually comparable to the initial surgery, if not a little longer.
Yes, Dr. Smith often combines breast augmentation revision with other procedures. For example, it’s very common for patients to exchange their implants and also get a breast lift to address any sagging.
Also, a woman who first got breast implants before having children may decide after having kids to replace the older implants and get a tummy tuck during the same operation. This customizable combination procedure is known as a Mommy Makeover.
There are many reasons women visit Dr. Smith to have their breast implants exchanged, including one or a combination of the following:
These surgeries can sometimes include extra challenges, such as working around scar tissue, that require advanced training and experience. Start with finding a board-certified plastic surgeon, and then carefully examine his education, training, and experience performing revision breast surgery. Few surgeons in Orange County can match Dr. Smith’s qualifications when it comes to breast implant revision procedures.
27 year old female from Riverside County who had a previous breast augmentation procedure and developed a “double bubble” or loosening of the inframammary fold. This also resulted in visible rippling at the top of her breasts even though her implants were under the muscle. She had saline implants in place, and was satisfied with her volume, but wanted her breast folds and rippling to be improved. We did a breast revision surgery in our Orange County surgical center for her to re-establish her inframammary folds. This consisted of a capsulorraphy (pocket sutures) on both sides to elevate the fold of her breasts and correct her breast augmentation. She chose to keep her existing saline implants until she is ready for an exchange in the future. She is very happy with her results and her rippling from her prior augmentation has been greatly reduced. The postoperative fold position is much better and the double bubble has been eliminated.
Patient Age: 27
Patient Gender: Female
Implant Size Left: 350 cc
Implant Size Right: 350 cc
Implant Placement: Submuscular
Implant Contents: Saline Implants
Implant Shape: Round
Breast Incision Type: Inframammary
Cup Size Before: C
Cup Size After: C
This 48 year old female had a previous augmentation 17 years ago. She had severe encapsulation of bilateral breast implants with grade IV capsular contracture.
Patient Age: 48
Patient Gender: Female
Implant Size Left: 450 cc
Implant Size Right: 450 cc
Implant Placement: Submuscular
Implant Contents: Semi-Solid Silicone Gel
Breast Incision Type: Inframammary
Cup Size Before: D
Cup Size After: D
This is a 40 year old female who had a previous breast augmentation 13 years ago and wanted to have her implants changed. She wanted to stay about the same size or slightly smaller. During breast revision surgery, we took her old implants out and replaced them with 339 silicone gel implants on the right and left side.
Patient Age: 40
Patient Gender: Female
Implant Size Left: 339 cc
Implant Size Right: 339 cc
Implant Placement: Submuscular
Implant Contents: Liquid Silicone Implants
Implant Shape: Round
Breast Incision Type: Inframammary
Cup Size Before: C
Cup Size After: D
This is a 35 year old female from south Orange County. She had previously had a breast augmentation years ago with saline implants. Her right breast implant had ruptured. She wanted to be similar in size but wanted to have silicone gel implants instead. We put in a 339cc silicone gel implant on the right side and a 304cc silicone gel implant on the left during a breast revision surgery. She is very happy with her results.
Patient Age: 35
Patient Gender: Female
Implant Size Left: 304 cc
Implant Size Right: 339 cc
Implant Placement: Submuscular
Implant Contents: Semi-Solid Silicone Gel
Implant Shape: Round
Breast Incision Type: Inframammary
Cup Size Before: C
Cup Size After: C
This 34 year old female had a saline implants placed under the muscle approximately 8 years ago. She came into see us because her left breast implant had ruptured. She is a 32 D and would like to remain about the same size. She is 5’1 105 pounds. Using an inframmammry fold incision we placed 425 cc silicone implants under the muscle.
Patient Age: 33
Patient Gender: Female
Implant Size Left: 425 cc
Implant Size Right: 425 cc
Implant Placement: Submuscular
Implant Contents: Semi-Solid Silicone Gel
Implant Shape: Round
Breast Incision Type: Inframammary
Cup Size Before: D
Cup Size After: D
This 49 year old Orange County woman removed her old implants and replaced them with new 225 cc silicone implants. Her old implants were encapsulated so she had a capsulectomy and a lift at the same time.
This is a 47 year old female who was interested in a breast revision. She has had multiple previous breast augmentation procedures including a breast lift. She has breast asymmetry with a right-sided encapsulation. She feels that her breasts are too large and wants to downsize her implants. She preceeded with a breast revision which included a right breast capsulectomy, right breast Alloderm graft, and bilateral mastopexy revision. She was placed with Natrelle style 15 265cc silicone implants. She is very happy with her results.
Patient Age: 47
Patient Gender: Female
Implant Size Left: 265 cc
Implant Size Right: 265 cc
Implant Placement: Submuscular
Implant Contents: Liquid Silicone Implants
Implant Shape: Round
Breast Incision Type: Inframammary
Cup Size Before: D
Cup Size After: C
This 23 year old female who is 5’4 and 119 pounds had a breast augmentation whoes right side remained on the high side. We left her right implant in place, did a capsulotomy and lowered her pocket on the right side to make her breasts more even during breast revision surgery.
Patient Age: 23
Patient Gender: Female
Implant Contents: Liquid Silicone Implants
Cup Size Before: D
Cup Size After: D
Contact Andrew Smith, MD FACS Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in Irvine, Orange County to schedule your consultation.
18 Endeavor Suite 102, Irvine, CA 92618
