Bad breast augmentation is a common problem that can leave women feeling less than confident. In this blog, we’ll talk about the causes of bad breast augmentation and how you can prevent it from happening to you!
What is Bad Breast Augmentation?
Bad breast augmentation is a condition in which the implants used to augment the size of your breasts become malpositioned or move out of place over time. The process of the implant moving out of place occurs because the pocket where it sits within your body becomes irritated by scar tissue and changes in shape. If this happens, your implants will shift into an unnatural position and may cause pain, discomfort, or even infection.
How to Prevent Bad Breast Augmentation
There are several things you can do to prevent bad breast augmentation from occurring:
-Inspect your breasts regularly for lumps or hard spots by yourself or with your doctor
-Avoid repetitive movements that could lead to irritation of the pocket (such as aerobic exercise) or heavy lifting/pressing motions (such as weightlifting)
-Get regular checkups with your doctor
In this article we will discuss breast implant illness and signs of breast implant problems
Bad Breast Augmentation
What to Do If You Have Had a Bad Breast Augmentation?
Breast augmentation surgery, also often called a ‘boob job’, is one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries in the world. Many people desire larger, fuller breasts, and augmentation surgery is a safe and straightforward method of achieving this shape. However, there are other reasons why someone may undergo a breast augmentation procedure, such as reconstructing the breasts following a mastectomy, or as part of a gender transition.
Breast augmentation surgery is largely considered to be a very safe procedure. However, there are instances where things can go wrong, resulting in a ‘bad’ breast augmentation, where the patient is unhappy with their results. Here’s what you need to know about identifying a bad breast augmentation and what you can do if you aren’t happy with your results.
What can I do if I have had a bad breast augmentation?
If you are unhappy with the results of your breast augmentation procedure, you don’t have to live with them. Breast augmentation revision surgery can be used to address the issues that are causing you concern. The aim of this subsequent surgery is to correct any abnormalities or problems and leave you with breasts that align with your initial expectations. Not all cosmetic surgeons can provide revision surgery, but those that do have extensive experience in recognizing the signs of a bad breast augmentation procedure and know the best ways to help you achieve the shape and size that you desire.
How can I avoid a bad breast augmentation?
Every patient should make avoiding a bad breast augmentation a priority. They can do this in several ways. One of your most important considerations should be the surgeon that you choose. There are countless cosmetic surgeons, but they don’t all have equal skills and experience across all surgeries. Therefore, it’s crucial to do your research properly before choosing the cosmetic surgeon who will carry out your breast augmentation procedure. Things to look for include:
- Their credentials to ensure that they are official and correct.
- Whether they are members of any board or other professional organization.
- What proportion of the surgeries they carry out are breast augmentations?
- Whether they are committed to extending their skill through subsequent training.
- Their online reviews.
- Examples of their work.
Once you have shortlisted your potential surgeons, make sure you visit them to get a feel for their practice and how they work. This will help you to ensure that you choose the right surgeon for you.
While your surgeon is responsible for carrying out your breast augmentation safely and to the highest standard, you will have a large element of responsibility for your subsequent recovery. Your surgeon will give you very specific instructions to follow in the days and weeks following your procedure. These will help to minimize your risk of complications, and this is important since complications could result in a bad overall result from your breast augmentation.
If you have had a bad breast augmentation procedure and you would like advice about what to do next, don’t hesitate to speak to our experienced and knowledgeable revision surgery team.
How to Spot a Bad Breast Augmentation
Women pursue breast augmentation because they wish to make positive changes to their appearance—whether that means a change to breast shape or to breast volume. They seek results that are elegant, proportional, and above all natural—and in many cases, that’s exactly what they get.
But what about bad boob jobs? We’ve all seen them: breast implants that are obviously fake, or that simply don’t look right on the woman in question. Is there a risk that your breast augmentation could be a bad one?
The short answer is yes—but thankfully, there are ways to reduce the risk of bad breast implants. Bad boob jobs tend to happen for one of two reasons. The first reason is that patients go cheap, choosing something quick and low-cost over something that’s been proven to offer better results. The second is that patients simply don’t do enough research, or don’t quite know what they’re looking for before they get into it. All of this can be avoided simply by ensuring you pick a good, experienced plastic surgeon who will consult with you and guide you through all the decisions you have to make for your breast augmentation.
Don’t Settle for Fake-Looking Breast Implants
As you consider your options for breast augmentation—and as you wonder how you can avoid anything that looks bad or fake—the first thing we want to drive home is simply this: assuming you pick a good surgeon and do your due diligence, there is no reason why you should end up with a bad boob job.
We say that because breast implant technology has advanced considerably over the past several years. At the same time, cosmetic surgeons have become more experienced in delivering the desired results, and in helping women choose the best implants to meet their aesthetic goals.
Ensuring a Natural-Looking Boob Job
One way you can ensure your breast augmentation looks natural is to start with some basics—like your current breast size.
A good rule of thumb is that, if you have naturally small breasts then the larger you go, the faker they will look. Moving from a B-cup to an F-cup is a dramatic change that will most likely not appear very natural for your body frame; it’s generally advisable to just go up one or two cup sizes.
Here at Charlotte Plastic Surgery, we’ve found that women are moving away from what we call the Baywatch look—disproportionately large breasts—in favor of breasts that are more elegant and “normal” looking. Another principle we lean on is plausible deniability: we want women to have substantive results, but also enough subtlety that it won’t be immediately obvious to everyone they meet that they have had a boob job.
There are other factors that can affect how natural your breast augmentation looks as well, such as implant placement and shape
Implant placement should be relative to body type. For example, in women who are slimmer, breast implants tend to be quite a bit more visible, so it may make sense to have part of the implant inserted under the chest muscle. For women who carry a little more weight, the implant could potentially be placed totally behind the chest muscle. There are pros and cons to each option – something your surgeons will discuss in detail with you so you can weigh your options.
As for the shape of your breast implants, basically, there are round and teardrop-shaped (anatomical) breast implants. Now within these two basic shape categories are numerous implant profiles that contribute to the overall shape and contour of the implant. Choosing which is right for you comes down to personal preference, but your cosmetic surgeon will be able to consult with you and tell you which option will offer you the best, most natural-looking results.
When we talk about bad boob jobs or breast implants that are very fake-looking, we’re generally talking about instances in which some of these basic points have been missed—the women chose to go up too many sizes, selected an inappropriate shape of the implant, or had it placed incorrectly. Note that all of these issues can be avoided simply by working with a skilled and experienced plastic surgeon who will truly take a consultative role, helping you make prudent decisions and to fully know what you can expect from your breast augmentation.
Other Factors to Consider
As you meet with your cosmetic surgeon, there are a couple of additional factors to ask about—both of which can have a big impact on how natural your breast enhancements look.
The first of these factors is the type of breast implant you choose—silicone or gel. While both can be good options, saline implants have sometimes shown some tendencies toward “rippling,” which can make the breasts look quite unnatural. The latest, most advanced saline implants – including the Ideal Implant, a saline implant that has a silicone feel – and choosing one of the latest generation silicone devices – such as the so-called Gummy Bear implants – all help you avoid this.
A second issue is simply the difference between a breast lift and a breast augmentation—two different procedures that address two different issues. A breast lift pertains to the position of the breast, while an augmentation deals with volume. Make sure you speak with your surgeon about these options and select the cosmetic surgery that actually addresses your goals—and note that in some cases, it’s best to have both procedures done in tandem.
Avoiding Bad Breast Augmentation
Ultimately, we’ve all seen boob jobs we knew were fake, or that simply didn’t look good. These things happen, but they are also fairly easy to avoid—assuming you do your homework, know what you want, and select a surgeon who will come alongside you in a consultative role.
At Charlotte Plastic Surgery, this consultative role is something we take seriously. We love meeting with clients and working together to set expectations—even using post-op simulation such as Vectra 3D imaging technology to let them see what their new breasts will look like. We are always quick to offer personalized advice on implant type, shape, placement, size, and more.
If you are looking to have a breast augmentation, be prepared to make a number of decisions that could impact how real the final results look. We are here to help at every step of the way. To learn more about natural-looking breast implants, reach out to the team at Charlotte Plastic Surgery today.
Breast Implant Illness
A group of symptoms known as breast implant illness (BII) affect people who have breast implants. For BII, there is no recognized medical diagnosis. Fatigue, joint pain, mental fog, dry eyes, and numerous other health issues are possible symptoms. In order to diagnose BII, medical professionals must rule out other medical problems.
Signs Of Breast Implant Problems
Here are seven typical indications that you require revision surgery.
There is pain or discomfort coming from your breast implants.
A breast implant revision may be necessary if the implants are painful or uncomfortable. These conditions include capsular contracture, injured lymph nodes, a growing seroma, pinched nerves, and improper implant placement. Pain may indicate a ruptured or leaking silicone implant if you have one.
Even if there is no significant issue causing discomfort, some patients feel implants are painful enough to interrupt their everyday life, especially if the implant utilized was excessively large or poorly positioned.
Persistent discomfort or irritability, regardless of the source, is not a typical side effect of breast augmentation surgery. Patients should make an appointment with their surgeon if they are experiencing either.
Your ruptured breast implant
Implant rupture may result from age and deterioration of the implant shell or abrupt or strong physical pressure (such as that experienced in a car accident).
A saline implant rupture results in a very rapid deflation of the afflicted breast, making diagnosis simple. The saline fluid inside the implant is the same as IV solution and is easily absorbed by the body.
In contrast, because the thick silicone gel inside silicone implants leaks out gradually, ruptures cannot be detected without an ultrasound or an MRI.
Although a ruptured breast implant is not a medical emergency that poses a risk to life, it is nonetheless vital to get the implant removed to avoid infection or the formation of excessive internal scar tissue.
Your breast implant has reached its limit.
This condition is more common with large or heavy implants, but post-surgery pregnancies or skin laxity due to aging can also cause an implant to bottom out. Bottoming out is a progressive descent of the implant below the breast crease if the skin and tissue cannot effectively support it.
Breast drooping is a regular occurrence. Yet, bottomed-out implants cause nipples to shift upward as the implants fall lower, in contrast to naturally aging breasts where nipples naturally fall with the breast tissue. Patients frequently have the ability to feel and see the shape of an implant that has bottomed out.
The breast implant you have is spinning or shifting.
During time, breast implants frequently assume a slightly altered position. Implants seldom relocate drastically to a different spot on the chest wall. Implant displacement refers to the different ways an implant might move.
When the implant pocket is excessively big, it may cause lateral displacement of the implants, which is when the implants move too far away from the chest’s midline. A rare complication known as symmastia, or implants merging in the middle of the chest, is brought on by excessive tissue removal close to the breastbone, which leads to the separation of the muscle between the breasts.
Implant rotation can also be caused by an excessively big implant pocket. Patients might not be able to detect a rotation of a round implant, but a rotation of a teardrop implant results in an unnatural, top-heavy aspect of the breast.
The form of your breast implant has changed.
If an implant ruptures, moves, spins, bottoms out, or becomes physically displaced, the implant’s form may change.
Implant shape changes typically affect only one breast, or one breast asymmetrically. Even if both implants undergo shape change, the shift may not be simultaneous. Although there is no medical risk associated with this asymmetry, it can nonetheless cause patients a great deal of mental distress and make it very challenging to find bras and apparel that fits appropriately.
Capsular contracture is being brought on by your breast implant.
When any type of medical or cosmetic surgery implant has been inserted, the development of scar tissue is a typical aspect of the healing process. This technique is typically advantageous since the scar tissue capsule supports the implant and prevents it from slipping.
Nevertheless, occasionally the body misinterprets the implant as a potentially harmful foreign object and overproduces scar tissue to isolate it. The overproduction of dense, hard tissue around the breast implant, also known as capsular contracture, might harm the outcome of the augmentation process.
Capsular contracture is categorized into four degrees, from mild to severe. Grade one is asymptomatic and has no impact on the implant’s performance. Very minimal cosmetic symptoms accompany grade two capsular contracture, leaving the breasts normal in size but stiffer to the touch.
Grades three and four capsular contracture results in rigid, crooked, and excessively rounded breasts that feel and appear unnatural. Breast discomfort is another common symptom of grade four contracture. Individuals who have grade three or four capsular contracture typically need to have their breast implants changed.