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 consultation using our 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.
This 44 year old female had a breast augmentation in 07 and felt that her implants were too big. She wanted to go smaller and have a lift at the same time. She is 5’6 135 pounds and had a 400 cc saline implant on the left and a 360 cc saline implant on the right. She replaced the implants with 234 cc silicone.
Patient Age: 45
Patient Gender: Female
Implant Size Left: 234 cc
Implant Size Right: 234 cc
Implant Placement: Submuscular
Implant Contents: Semi-Solid Silicone Gel
Implant Shape: Round
Cup Size Before: DD
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
40 year old female who had a previous breast augmentation and was very unhappy with her result. She had a saline subglandular augmentation and her implants have resulted in severe rippling and her implants have ended up under her arms. She has a lack of central fullness and her implants end up on her side when she lays down. We did a breast augmentation revision with a complex surgical approach. A switch to larger silicone gel implants along with a pocket change to subpectoral was done. The pocket change utilized AlloDerm® dermal matrix to define the pocket and reduce rippling postoperatively. This resulted in a dramatic improvement and has almost completely eliminated her rippling.
Patient Age: 40
Patient Gender: Female
Implant Size Left: 421 cc
Implant Size Right: 421 cc
Implant Placement: Submuscular
Implant Contents: Liquid Silicone Implants
Implant Shape: Round
Breast Incision Type: Circumareolar
Cup Size Before: C
Cup Size After: D
This 57 year old female had a previous augmentation 28 years ago. She had severe encapsulation of right breast implant. Dr. Smith preformed a right breast capsulectomy, removed her existing implants and replaced them with new silicone implants.
Patient Age: 57
Patient Gender: Female
Implant Size Left: 600 cc
Implant Size Right: 600 cc
Implant Placement: Submuscular
Implant Contents: Silicone
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 48 year old woman had a breast lift (mastopexy) She is 5’7 120 pounds and placed 325 cc silicone implants under the muscle. She was a 34 B.
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
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
Contact Andrew Smith, MD FACS Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in Irvine, Orange County to schedule your consultation.
18 Endeavor Suite 102, Irvine, CA 92618
