Breast Implant Problems

Breast implants can develop problems over time. The most common is capsular contracture, when scar tissue tightens around the implant and the breast feels hard or looks distorted. Others include rupture, the implant shifting position, and rippling. Some patients also report systemic symptoms, often called breast implant illness. Implants are not lifetime devices; problems are treated by revision, replacing or repositioning the implant, or by removing the implants.

What it is

Several distinct problems fall under this heading, and telling them apart is the first step.

• Capsular contracture. Scar tissue that naturally forms around an implant tightens and squeezes it, so the breast feels firm, looks distorted, or sits high. It is the most common long-term issue.
• Rupture or leak. The implant shell tears; silicone often stays within the surrounding scar tissue, while saline deflates noticeably.
• Malposition and rippling. The implant shifts out of position, or its edges show as visible wrinkling under the skin.
• Feeling unwell (breast implant illness). Some patients report systemic symptoms such as fatigue, joint pain, or brain fog that they associate with their implants.

Understanding which of these is happening is what determines whether the answer is revision, replacement, or removal.

What causes it

Different problems, different causes. Capsular contracture is thought to relate to the body’s scar response and low-grade bacterial contamination around the implant; rupture comes from wear or trauma to the shell over time; malposition and rippling relate to implant type, size, and how tissues have changed. The common thread is time: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is clear that implants are not lifetime devices, and the longer they are in place, the more likely a problem becomes.

On the systemic symptoms some patients report, the FDA has received reports of what is commonly called breast implant illness, and has not established a causal link between silicone implants and connective tissue disease, breast cancer, or reproductive problems; some patients report their symptoms improve after removal. A separate, rare condition, a lymphoma called BIA-ALCL, is primarily associated with textured-surface implants. Both are reasons to be evaluated rather than to panic.

What is happening, and what helps

This is what an evaluation sorts out, because the right response depends entirely on the problem.

The value is not the list. It is that a board-certified surgeon examines you, arranges imaging when needed, and tells you honestly whether revision, replacement, or removal fits your situation and your wishes, rather than defaulting to one answer.

Why Santa Barbara Face & Body

Implant problems are where you most want a surgeon who is honest and unhurried, because the right answer, revise, replace, or remove, depends on your situation and on what you want, not on selling another implant. Dr. Polynice is a Mayo-trained, board-certified plastic surgeon focused on breast and body surgery, and his practice includes revision and implant removal. He evaluates what is happening, explains the options plainly, including simply removing the implants if that is your choice, and respects your decision.

When it is worth a consultation

Worth coming in if you

• Notice your breast becoming firm, distorted, or sitting differently
• Have a sudden change in the size or shape of a breast
• Are past several years with your implants and want them assessed
• Feel unwell and want an honest conversation about your implants

Better to talk it through first if you

• Have sudden pain, swelling, or redness, which should be evaluated promptly
• Are unsure of your implant type or records, which help guide the plan
• Want removal without replacement, which is a valid choice worth discussing

What to expect from a visit

Dr. Polynice examines your breasts and implants, reviews your history and, where possible, your implant records, and arranges imaging if rupture is a question. He explains what he finds and lays out the options, revision to correct or replace, or removal with or without replacement, honestly and without pressure. If you feel unwell and want the implants out, that choice is respected and planned. You leave understanding what is happening and the path that fits you.

What we offer for this

People come in worried about their implants and leave with a clear evaluation and a plan they chose. Revision and removal are both on the table.