What causes breast implant rippling?
Breast implant revision Sydney
Breast augmentation has been shown in studies to have a high patient satisfaction rate, but there are still some challenges that may arise. Some women experience rippling of their breast implants. The ripples may be palpable (able to be felt) or even visible (able to be seen). What causes the rippling of breast implants? More importantly, what can be done about it?
Why do breast implants ripple?
In fact, all breast implants actually experience some degree of rippling. This is because, in order to create the most natural results, the implants cannot be too rigid. If they were, then they would not respond at all to gravity, and would both look and feel quite obviously fake. Instead, to create a more natural look and feel, implants have to retain the ability to flow. The implant is not filled to the maximum capacity.
Now, imagine that you’re holding a water balloon, but it’s not quite filled all the way. The balloon will sag a bit, developing some ripples on the surface. When you turn the balloon a different way, the ripples move to a different place. This is exactly what’s happening to a breast implant inside of your body. The surface has some ripples, which change their positions when you move your body.
Why isn’t rippling always noticeable?
Now, if all breast implants ripple, the natural question is this: Why don’t all women notice rippling of their breast implants? The answer is that the ripples can be disguised by tissue above the implants. For example, when implants are placed under the pectoral muscle of the chest, the muscle tissue helps to hide the ripples. They’re also much harder to detect in women who have more fat tissue and glandular tissue of the breast.
In addition, factors related to the surgical technique used to place the implant can have a significant effect. When the implant pocket is too large, then there’s more room for the implant to sag and ripple within the pocket. A well-created implant pocket is able to hold the implant more securely and reduce this issue. It takes years of surgical training and practice to be able to do this well.
Can anything be done to reduce rippling?
If a woman is bothered by the rippling of her breast implants, then there are a few options. One option may be to do a revision surgical procedure. If the implants are above the muscle, then they can be moved to below it. Submuscular placement can make a big difference in how the implants look and feel. It can also help to switch the type of implants; silicone implants, particularly if they are made of more cohesive silicone, tend to have less rippling than saline ones do.
Another option is to add some tissue between the implant and the skin, to hide the ripples. Fat transfer can be useful for some women; this procedure takes fat from a different part of the body and moves it to the area of rippling, in order to smooth that area out. In women who don’t have enough spare fat tissue on the body to do this, there is a product called acellular dermal matrix, or ADM, which can be used in some cases. It’s made of collagen and other proteins that naturally occur in the skin. When this is surgically placed over the area of rippling, the patient’s own cells grow into the area, creating a layer of tissue that can help to hide the implant.
Breast implant revision Sydney
If you’re bothered by the rippling of your breast implants, we invite you to come in for a consultation with A/Prof Marucci. As an associate professor at the University of Sydney, he has a very high level of surgical skill. He’ll discuss your options with you so that you can decide whether or not a revision procedure makes sense for you. If you’d like to schedule an appointment for a consultation with Dr. Marucci at either our Kogarah or Miranda offices, please contact our office.
