Are My Breast Implants Too Low After A Combined Lift and Implant Procedure?

Q:  Dr. Eppley, I recently had a breast augmentation with a lift six weeks ago. My lift was the vertical type and my implants were silicone gel above the muscle. While I know it is still sort of early and the breasts are still settling into place, I am concerned that I am experiencing that they already sit lower than I would like and they have some rippling on the sides. This rippling is most apparent when I bend over and goes away when I push the implants upward.  I am concerned that I will need another lift in the near future if they sit this low already. Should the implants have been positioned higher in the first place?

A:  The combination implant-lift breast reshaping procedure (augmentation mastopexy) is a tough one to get just right. It is an artistic balance during surgery of implant size and positioning and how much lift and tissue tightening needs to be done. On top of these difficulties is the unknown variable of how the whole breast settles and what support the breast tissue and skin provides. While six weeks is not the final result, more settling may or may not occur. It would be best to wait a full six months before considering any revision. The rippling you have is a result of the implant being above the muscle and the lack of a substantial breast tissue thickness between the implant and the skin. This might be improved by a higher implant position or a change to an under the muscle position…but there is no guarantee that even with these changes that it will be completely gone.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana