Can My Breast Implants That Are Too Close Together Be Fixed?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I had a breast augmentation about three months ago. My problem is that my implants are literally touching each other. There is no gap between them. While I wanted better cleavage, this is too much. In addition, when I move my arms more than just a little bit, both implants jump to the sides which is freaky. I now know that my implants are too big and I want to go smaller. I currently have in 450cc and want to go down to 350ccs. Will I need a lift if I go down to that size? Will switching to smaller implants stop them from touching each other? I’m attaching a picture, how would you correct my problem?

A: What you have are several implant issues. First, the implant pockets nearly join over the sternum, This is known as symmastia. Downsizing your implants will not correct that problem. Correction requires the pockets to be sewn down in that area and may even require an allogeneic graft placed along the sternum to prevent recurrence. Secondly, your implants are definitely too big as they are wider than the base of your natural breasts. This is why you have both symmastia and that the implants go too far to the sides. Downsizing your breast implants by 100ccs and changing to a high profile implant will make them look more natural. Based on your pictures, you will not need a lift if you go smaller in implant size.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana