Revision Breast Implants

Revision implants, a careful conversation

Achieving a specific shape and look with your respective body requires an extensive and comprehensive consultation — especially if you had breast augmentation with implants in the past. The consultation is what empowers you to be confident in your decision-making, whether you have surgery or not.

Patients raise revision for a range of reasons — capsular contracture, asymmetry, size change over time, the age of the implants, prior surgery the patient is no longer happy with, or new symptoms that warrant evaluation. The pathway can involve removal of the existing implants only, removal and replacement with new implants, or removal combined with a lift to address tissue position.

Specialised detailed assessments and surgical techniques are required to meet realistic expectations. Not all patients are suitable for cosmetic surgery, and it is important to make an informed decision before any cosmetic undertaking — Dr Nara will discuss your options at the consult, including conservative management.

Where surgery is appropriate, Dr Nara performs the procedure under general anaesthetic in an accredited and licensed facility, with a written cooling-off period and structured aftercare, in line with Medical Board of Australia guidelines.

One patient's revision pathway

All patients have different goals following revision breast surgery. The case below is shared with consent to illustrate the kind of decisions a revision conversation involves — not to suggest a typical outcome.

This patient had previously undergone breast augmentation with implants and was considering revision. After a thorough consultation with Dr Nara — discussing the advantages and disadvantages of every option, including conservative management — she decided to have removal and replacement of her breast implants, with larger implants than her initial surgery.

The plan also involved partial removal of the capsules, a capsullorrhaphy (a controlled tightening of the surrounding pocket), and insertion of synthetic absorbable mesh. The existing pockets were thoroughly washed with antibiotic solution. The mesh was secured to the breast footprint, and it also provided a complete envelope of the implants — important for supporting larger implants against gravity and time.

Removal and replacement of breast implants alone — with larger implants — may not provide a favourable outcome in the long term. This is why further surgical adjuncts, especially the insertion of absorbable mesh, were required in this patient's plan. Each revision is its own conversation: what is appropriate for one patient is not appropriate for another.

The result is shown in the gallery further down this page. Photographs are part of a clinical record kept under Australian Medical Board guidelines, presented here with patient consent, and are not generalisable to other patients.

All revision surgery involves incisions, and incisions become scars

It is vital to understand that all patients who have revision breast implants will have incisions, and those incisions become scars. Photography presented here is unedited, with patient consent, so the natural formation of scars can be appreciated honestly — including incision placement and length.

Depending on the technique required for your revision — and especially on your individual medical conditions that impact aesthetic planning — Dr Nara will discuss the specific scar placements for your surgery. Existing incisions are used where possible. Additional incisions may be needed (for example in the inframammary fold, around the areola, or vertically if a lift is added), depending on the soft tissues and the surgical plan.

There are several stages to scar formation. They include the initial inflammatory phase, the proliferative phase where new tissue is laid down, and a longer remodelling phase that continues for many months. Skilled aftercare, patient education and patient compliance are essential to achieve an acceptable scar.

How an individual scar matures is influenced by genetics, medical conditions, capacity to heal and the technique chosen. These results are not generalisable; they are presented for education. Each surgical plan is tailored, in line with Medical Board of Australia guidelines. To read more about the general risks of cosmetic surgery, see our risks of surgery page.