Capsular Contractures After Receiving Breast Implants

After breast implants are placed, silicone or saline, a capsular contracture may occur. A capsular contracture is an immune response to a foreign object in the body, in this case breast implants, causing a hardening of the breast area and deformation of the implant.

Furthermore, capsular contractures compress of the collagen tissue capsule squeezes down on the implant, bringing mild to severe pain and discomfort. Although the exact reason of its occurrence is unknown, this immune response is commonly thought to be due to minor leakage of the implant, complete rupture of the implant, bacterial contamination or hematoma.

How to Treat a Capsular Contracture

Depending on the severity, if you are feeling discomfort due to a suspected capsular contracture, the following surgical and non-surgical techniques may help:

• Breast area massage
• External ultrasound
• Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy
• Removal of the tissue capsule
• Removal of the breast implant

If breast implant removal is what must be done, it does not have to be the end of all implants for you. Breast implant exchange is another common procedure, even after a capsular contracture.

Contact a Des Moines Plastic Surgeon to Learn More

If you or a loved one is experiencing capsular contractures or is worried of future run-ins, feel free to reach out to our Des Moines plastic surgery team at Bergman Plastic Surgery. We are happy to help you in any way we can, so give us a call at (515) 222-1111.