From Beautiful Breasts to Capsular Contracture, a Beverly Hills Story

Once upon a time in Beverly Hills there was a woman named Mary who had perfect C cup breasts. They were perky, symmetrical, and looked wonderful with or without a bra. Then, she had a few children, and she gained and lost some weight. Time went by, and before she knew it her older bras were no just too large. For Mary’s 30th birthday, she decided to get her breasts enhanced with a breast augmentation. Although her breasts weren’t truly “saggy”, or “ptotic”, they appeared deflated, particularly in the upper pole. She underwent an uneventful breast augmentation with 325 cc silicone implants placed over the muscle (subglandular). This positioning of the implant as opposed to under the muscle gives a but more nipple elevation. And, voila! Her breasts were once again stunning with or without a bra. However, over the course of 3 years, her left breast hardened. She developed what is called a capsular contracture. This is when the tissues around the breast implant (called capsule) harden from exaggerated scarring inside the body. It generally happens 3 percent per year, and the solution may require excision of the capsule. How did this happen? Well, it isnt totally understood how capsular contractures develop. Certainly, frequent massaging and maybe placement under the muscle can help reduce this incidence. Other risk factors include infection of the breast or hematoma (bleeding into the implant pocket). And of course, genetics probably plays a role too. So, Mary had a breast revision surgery where the capsule (internal scar) was removed, and lived happily ever after. The moral of the story is, capsular  contracture can happen. But it can be fixed by a skilled plastic surgeon. The End.