After a breast augmentation, some women experience wrinkling or implant rippling, which can be seen or felt through the skin. It’s often noticed on the bottom or sides of the breasts, where tissues are thinnest. A few factors increase the risk of rippling:
- Over-or underfilling a saline implant
- Poor tissue coverage over the implant (for example, if a woman is very thin with little breast tissue)
- Pre-pectoral (over the muscle) placement
How is implant rippling corrected?
Your surgeon’s technique may depend on the cause of the rippling as well as its severity. Your surgeon may use the same incision as your original augmentation to remove or reposition the implants. Other options include replacing the implant with a different size or type (such as silicone), changing the position of the implant to be under the muscle or using other tissue or biological mesh to better cover the implant edge. Sometimes, fat grafting may also help provide additional tissue coverage.
Your surgeon will talk with you about why the condition has occurred and how he or she would approach corrective surgery.
Our providers
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Plastic Surgery
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Alayna Marie Blazakis, AGPCNP-BC
Wound Care & Plastic Surgery
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Karen Kim Evans, MD
Microvascular Plastic Surgery, Surgical Wound Care, Limb Lengthening And Reconstructive Surgery & Plastic Surgery
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Kenneth L. Fan, MD
Plastic Surgery
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Samer Jabbour, MD
Microvascular Plastic Surgery, Breast Surgery, Reconstructive Plastic Surgery & Plastic Surgery
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David Zachary Martin, MD
Surgical Wound Care & Plastic Surgery
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Kimberly Ann Miller, FNP-BC
Plastic Surgery
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Kerry Shumanski Moose, CRNP
Wound Care & Plastic Surgery
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Rajiv P. Parikh, MD, MPHS
Microvascular Plastic Surgery, Reconstructive Plastic Surgery & Plastic Surgery
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Laura Kate Tom, MD
Microvascular Plastic Surgery, Breast Surgery & Plastic Surgery
Show All Plastic Surgery
Our locations
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MedStar Health: Plastic Surgery at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
3800 Reservoir Road NW, BLES Building 1st. Floor Washington, D.C., 20007
866-990-5515
MedStar Health: Plastic Surgery at MedStar Washington Hospital Center
106 Irving St. NW POB North Ste. 3400 Washington, D.C., 20010
MedStar Health: Plastic Surgery at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center
9105 Franklin Square Drive Suite 214 Rosedale, MD 21237
443-777-8667
MedStar Health: Plastic Surgery at MedStar Montgomery Medical Center
18101 Prince Philip Drive., Olney, MD 20832
MedStar Health: Plastic Surgery at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center
7501 Surratts Road Clinton, MD 20735