The human body is constantly changing. Not only do basic curves and contours shift as we gain or lose weight, but the skin, muscles, and tissues themselves gradually lose their natural elasticity and strength as we grow older, causing them to sag and droop. While this is one of the primary reasons people seek out plastic surgery in the first place, it is also why no plastic surgery procedure can ever claim to achieve truly “permanent” results. Take, for example, breast augmentation surgery. Although it is the most frequently performed cosmetic plastic surgery procedure in the United States, and consistently has a patient satisfaction rate of 98% or higher, there are cases when a pair of breast implants may need to be either removed or replaced. This is the purpose of breast revision surgery.
As with any surgical procedure, breast augmentation may, on rare occasions, result in complications. However, in my experience, the women who usually come to me seeking breast revision were initially very happy with their breast augmentation and instead wish to address issues that have arisen ten, twenty, or even thirty years later. Sometimes, scar tissue may have hardened around the implants, a condition known as capsular contracture which may affect the shape and feel of the breast, but more commonly, it is simply that the changes that naturally affect any woman’s body, caused by either fluctuations in weight or the birth of one or more children, have made the breast implants appear less natural or flattering. Moreover, some women undergo an initial breast revision to address a minor cosmetic issue, only to have that issue, along with subsequent ones, compound over time.
The key to really achieving a great result from a breast revision procedure lies in communication. Sometimes, doctors and patients can misunderstand one another during a plastic surgery consultation, and it is not at all unusual for patients to say one thing when they really mean something completely different. Advanced imaging technology that lets patients better visualize what breast implants of different sizes and shapes will look like on their frames can go a long way towards getting patients to open up about their genuine desires, but in the end I have found that the best breast augmentation revision results are achieved when I spend extra time listening to what my patients are trying to say. Patients really just want to be heard; they want to find someone who they know is really listening. If you can establish that from the beginning, you can build a rapport built on trust, empathy, and compassion, and that often goes a long way even if there’s a problem.
Breast revision surgery can be complicated and requires a great deal of skill and experience, but it is only one of the many reconstructive and cosmetic plastic surgery procedures that I have been performing for more than twenty years. If you are interested in scheduling a plastic surgery consultation in order to learn more about a specific procedure that you think might be right for you, contact me, Dr. James Namnoum, today or connect with me on social media for more plastic surgery news and updates.
