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 FREE surgical consultation using his online form or call (949) 653-7000.
When you choose Dr. Smith, you’re choosing a breast specialist who
- Is the Chief of the Subsection of Plastic Surgery at Saddleback Memorial Medical Center
- Is one of the top surgeons in Orange County for complex breast revisions and reconstructions
- Has performed thousands of breast surgeries during his 15+ years of surgical experience
Why do women have their breast implants exchanged?
There are many reasons women visit Dr. Smith to have their breast implants exchanged, including one or a combination of the following:
- Replacing ruptured implants. The affected implant can be replaced or both implants can be exchanged for different implants.
- Upgrading implants. Today’s silicone implants are more durable and natural-feeling than those made in past years. Women with older implants may choose to upgrade to the newest options.
- Changing fill material. Most commonly saline implants are switched out for the newer silicone gel implants, but some women choose the reverse.
- Adjusting implant size. After their initial breast augmentation, some women want larger implants, while others decide to go smaller.
- Treating a complication. Often correcting a complication such as capsular contracture involves exchanging the implants.
- Improving breast appearance. Revision surgery can provide a more attractive breast appearance; implants are often exchanged as part of this process.
Before & After Photos
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Before
After
Case 208, Breast Revision
This is a 46 year old female who is 5’7 and weighs 147 pounds. She came to Dr. Smith wanting to remove her 20 year old implants and replace them with a similar size implant. She was also unhappy with her excess fat and skin around her waist and abdomen. However she wasnt ready to have a scar from a tummy tuck yet. So Dr. Smith removed her old implants and replaced them with 339 silicone gel implants on the right and left side. He also did liposuction on her abdomen and waist. She is very happy with her results.
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Case 157, Breast Augmentation, Breast Revision
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….
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Case 160, Breast Augmentation, Breast Revision
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 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 impla…
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Case 196, Breast Revision
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.
Dr. Smith preformed a bilateral breast complete capsulectomy with ruptured implant removal and replacement with new silicone implants.
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Case 222, Breast Augmentation, Breast Revision
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. We took her old implants out and replaced them with 339 silicone gel implants on the right and left side.
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Case 213, Breast Augmentation, Breast Revision
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. She is very happy with her results.
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Case 187, Breast Augmentation, Breast Lift, Breast Revision
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.
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Case 257, Breast Augmentation, Breast Revision
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.
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Before
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Case 295, Breast Revision
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.
See More Before & After Photos
I’ve had my implants longer than 10 years. Do they need to be exchanged?
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.
What can I expect during implant exchange surgery and recovery?
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.
Can I combine my implant exchange with other procedures?
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.
How do I know if a surgeon is qualified to perform a breast implant exchange?
It’s always important to choose an experienced plastic surgeon for any aesthetic procedure. But that is especially true for a revision procedure, even when it’s an elective implant exchange. 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.