ARTICLE

Another operating session, another ruptured silicone gel breast implant.

Today I performed a procedure which has become the most common operation performed by plastic surgeons – removal of leaking breast implants.

On this occasion my patient had the implants inserted 12 years ago.  She had been suffering from pain on the right side and an MRI showed that the implant had ruptured.

At operation the rupture of the right implant was confirmed and the implant was removed.  On the left side the implant was intact.

The photograph shows the condition of both implants.  Despite the implant being the modern “high cohesive gel” the silicone had broken up into small clumps and was lying freely within the pocket.

On this occasion the lady (very wisely) decided not have implants again and so breast volume was restored by using her own fat. The fat was harvested by a procedure similar to liposuction, in this case from her tummy and hips as these were the areas where she had excess fat.  Some patients choose their inner or outer thighs as donor sites.  Following preparation, the fat is injected through a tiny incision  all thorough the breast tissue.  This has been shown to be the best way to ensure survival of the fat cells.

Once the fat tissue has established itself in the breast then we encourage the fat to grow through our post-operative regime.  We often find an increase in volume of between 10 and 20% between 6 weeks after surgery and 6 months after surgery.

With today’s focus on health and on eating healthy foods in order to maintain a healthy body, it makes absolute sense to avoid silicone breast implants in the first place or, to have them removed.  Natural breast augmentation using your own fat has come along just at the right time and is suitable for many women who would like to have a modest breast augmentation or who would like to have their implants removed but still retain some breast volume and a nice cleavage.

Interestingly, in expert hands, the results using your own fat for breast augmentation are often much more beautiful than the results using silicone breast implants.

ARTICLE

Ruptured Silicone Gel Breast Implant

Another operating session, another ruptured silicone gel breast implant.

Today I performed a procedure which has become the most common operation performed by plastic surgeons – removal of leaking breast implants.

On this occasion my patient had the implants inserted 12 years ago.  She had been suffering from pain on the right side and an MRI showed that the implant had ruptured.

At operation the rupture of the right implant was confirmed and the implant was removed.  On the left side the implant was intact.

The photograph shows the condition of both implants.  Despite the implant being the modern “high cohesive gel” the silicone had broken up into small clumps and was lying freely within the pocket.

On this occasion the lady (very wisely) decided not have implants again and so breast volume was restored by using her own fat. The fat was harvested by a procedure similar to liposuction, in this case from her tummy and hips as these were the areas where she had excess fat.  Some patients choose their inner or outer thighs as donor sites.  Following preparation, the fat is injected through a tiny incision  all thorough the breast tissue.  This has been shown to be the best way to ensure survival of the fat cells.

Once the fat tissue has established itself in the breast then we encourage the fat to grow through our post-operative regime.  We often find an increase in volume of between 10 and 20% between 6 weeks after surgery and 6 months after surgery.

With today’s focus on health and on eating healthy foods in order to maintain a healthy body, it makes absolute sense to avoid silicone breast implants in the first place or, to have them removed.  Natural breast augmentation using your own fat has come along just at the right time and is suitable for many women who would like to have a modest breast augmentation or who would like to have their implants removed but still retain some breast volume and a nice cleavage.

Interestingly, in expert hands, the results using your own fat for breast augmentation are often much more beautiful than the results using silicone breast implants.