Do I need surgery to repair a "shifting" saline implant?

Question

I am 5 years post implant surgery and feel that my implant is shifting. The implant was done as part of reconstruction after a mastectomy. The implant is under the chest muscle and moves a little when the muscle is used. Lately I have noticed what looks like the edges of the implant are poking out under the skin. Is surgery required to correct the shifting or are there exercises I can do to move the implant around myself? Please only serious answers and no looking down on me because I chose to try to get back to as normal a life as possible cancer. Thanks

Answer 1

Many women who have breast implants will have some degree of visible rippling under their skin. This may not be noticeable at first, especially if you have lost weight since your surgery or if you have developed scar tissue that extends from your skin to the implant. Scar tissue contracts over time and form a somewhat hard and irregular capsule around the implant. When you first had your augmentation, your surgeon probably told you to make sure you massaged the implants and move them around within the tissue. This can be uncomfortable but it helps to prevent capsule formation and scar contraction. However, with your history of breast cancer and the fact that this is a recent change in your breast, the first thing you should do is schedule an appointment with your surgeon and have him/her examine the changes in your breast to see if it is just scar formation or something more serious given the fact that you are at a higher risk for recurrence of breast cancer. Take care and make sure you have your surgeon check you out.