Breast Implant Revision Cost & Surgery Guide

Breast implant revision cost can vary widely depending on the location of your cosmetic procedures, the anesthesia required, your surgeon choice, recovery expenses, and the scope of your surgery.

While financing options are often available, it’s never a bad idea to research cost ahead of time so you can plan your finances accordingly.

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How Much Does Breast Revision Surgery Cost?

The cost of breast implant revision typically starts around $10,000. However, remember that a number of factors make up the overall cost of surgery.

There are variables particular to breast implants as well. For example, certain implants come with a warranty through the manufacturer. If the circumstances are appropriate, this means that the warranty may cover some of the cost of surgery. In some cases, health insurance, too, may cover a portion of the cost.

Overall, you can expect the following fees to go into the overall price of your breast revision surgery:

Surgeon’s fees
Pre-surgery exams, including imaging scans and labs
Medical supplies, equipment, and technology costs
Operating room, recovery room, and staffing costs
Other surgical facility or hospital costs
General anesthesia or local anesthesia costs
The cost of implants (if being replaced)
Post-surgery costs, including the price of medications, bandages, compression garments, meal services, in-home care, and other medical supplies and assistance

Signs Implant Revision May Be for You

Breast implant revision surgery is performed for a number of reasons. It all depends on the patient and their experience. Certain patients seek breast revision surgery only for breast implant removal.

After removal, these patients may decide to get a breast lift, a breast augmentation fat transfer, breast reduction, or do nothing.

Most patients who want a breast implant exchange will get new implants with their breast revision (breast augmentation revision). Good candidates for a breast implant revision procedure will have certain indicators that lead them to a change. Here are some signs that breast implant revision may be for you:

You’re simply ready for different breast implants.

First, it’s a common occurrence that patients are simply ready for a change.

They may have been happy with their plastic surgery results after their initial breast augmentation surgery for a long time. But as the years have passed, they may decide that they want to change implant size either bigger or smaller, a different implant shape, or a new material.

You’ve developed capsular contracture.

Capsular contracture develops as your body forms a “capsule” of scar tissue around each implant during the initial surgery healing process.

Sometimes, this capsule can contract too much and become misshapen and uncomfortably hard. It may even show through the natural breast tissue as excessive protrusion of the breasts and sometimes, unevenness. If this happens, you’ll need a capsulectomy (removal of the hardened scar tissue) during revision surgery.

You’ve been experiencing pain and discomfort with your implants.

Naturally, we hope that patients never encounter pain or discomfort from their implants, but it can happen. Sometimes, this is because the implants were improperly placed during the initial breast surgery. Other times, it’s due to fluid buildup, capsular contracture, a pinched nerve or damage to the lymph nodes.

Either way, it’s important to take care of pain right away with a breast implant replacement or removal so that you can regain your comfort.

Your breast implants have rotated or moved into the wrong position.

Implant displacement is not very common, but it can happen. A teardrop shaped implant, which is bigger on the bottom than it is on the top, could ostensibly rotate so that the bigger side is on the top.

This would naturally cause an uneven, odd-looking appearance that would need to be taken care of with surgery.

Similarly, the breasts may start to actually merge to the center of the chest, and this also would need to be taken care of with surgery as well.

One or both implants have ruptured.

An implant rupture occurs sometimes after an accident or simply over time as the outer shell breaks down. Whenever there are ruptured implants, this will require revision surgery.

Silicone implants can be hard to spot ruptures in, which is why regular image scans are necessary. If a saline implants rupture, the breast shape will immediately change so that you know right away.

Fortunately, breast revisions for ruptures are fairly straightforward. Furthermore, when you replace breast implants after an implant rupture, it’s a good time to change the shape or size if you’ve been considering this.

Your implants have “bottomed out”.

Lastly, the “bottoming out” issue usually happens with women who have extra large breasts or women as they age and lose breast elasticity. When it occurs, the breast skin and tissue has trouble supporting the breast implant, and it falls below the breast crease as a result.

FAQ: Breast Revision Surgery

Does a breast revision cost more than initial surgery?

When you’re getting a breast revision, it’s possible the complexity of the cosmetic procedure may demand a higher level of skill and time. Therefore, it’s not uncommon that a breast implant revisions cost more than initial breast augmentation surgery.

Furthermore, sometimes multiple surgeries are required to correct the patient’s comfort or accommodate their desired breast appearance.

Does insurance cover breast reconstruction revision?

If breast implant revisions are deemed medically necessary by the insurance company, it is possible that all or part of the procedure may be covered by health insurance. More about breast revision costs can be discussed at your consultation appointment.

How long will my breast implant removal recovery last?

Recovery post-breast implant removal varies per patient. Typically, bruising and tenderness ease in a week, allowing a return to work and driving within one to two weeks.

What are the after breast implant removal side effects?

Common side effects after breast implant removal may include temporary discomfort, swelling, bruising, changes in breast shape or sensation, scarring, and emotional adjustments.

Arrange a Consultation Appointment With Dr. David Sieber

If you are considering a breast revision surgery for your implants, you’ll need a qualified surgeon and an experienced surgeon to perform your surgery. You can find both in board certified plastic surgeon Dr. David Sieber. Call today to set up your consultation appointment with Dr. Sieber.

References

https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-breast-augmentation-revision