Breast Implants and Capsular Contracture: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options

Are you experiencing pain, tightness, or alteration to your breast implants? You may have breast implant capsular contracture, a common complication affecting your implants’ appearance, feel, and position. Over time, it may cause pain, hardness, or distortion of the breast.

The good news? It’s treatable! Regardless of whether you are dealing with early symptoms or a more advanced case, there are effective treatment options available. In this guide, we’ll cover the symptoms to look for, the treatment options available, and how to regain confidence and control over your results.

Why Does It Happen?

Breast augmentation capsular contracture happens when scar tissue around an implant hardens. The body will always form a capsule around an implant, but in some cases, that tissue tightens or squeezes the implant.

Capsular contracture leads to discomfort, changes in visual appearance, and sometimes pain. Capsular contracture breast implants can happen to anyone, but some things that increase your risk include:

• Infection after surgery
• Blood around an implant (hematoma)
• Smoking while healing
• Not following aftercare

Avoiding these risk factors is vital for future prevention.

Indicators That You Might Be Dealing with Capsular Contracture

It is important to become aware of the early warning signs. Symptoms of breast implant capsular contracture can initially be mild and worsen over time.

Be aware of:

• A hard or tight feeling in one or both breasts
• Pain or discomfort, particularly when lying flat or while raising their arms
• Changes in breast shape or the appearance of distortion
• Implant displacement

These types of capsular contracture symptoms tend to develop gradually over time. If you experience any of these symptoms, be sure to tell your doctor right away.

Treatment Options for Breast Capsular Contracture

There are many types of treatments available for breast augmentation capsular contracture. The breast capsular contracture treatment will depend on the severity and stage of breast capsular contracture. Options to treat breast capsular contracture include:

• Medication: Anti-inflammatory medication or leukotriene inhibitors may work in early cases.
• Ultrasound Treatment: Some clinics have begun to offer treatment utilizing sound waves to soften the capsule.
• Manual Massage: This has been proven to be helpful for some mild cases, but should only be done by the practitioner or under guidance.
• Enzymatic Injection: This is rare but is a developing new treatment that can help dissolve portions of the capsule.

Most advanced cases can be treated reliably with surgery.

When to Consider Surgery for Capsular Contracture?

Capsular contracture surgery may be necessary if the non-surgical approaches to treating capsular contracture do not work. There are several surgery options based on the situation, including:

• Capsulectomy: Removing the capsule entirely
• Capsulotomy: Incising the capsule to relieve the buildup of tightness
• Implant Replacement: Taking out the implant and putting in a new one

How Do You Treat Capsular Contracture Naturally?

You may be asking yourself how to treat capsular contracture naturally. Although natural remedies are not likely to have an impact on severe cases, early signs and symptoms can be minimized. Natural means of treatment:

• Vitamin E supplementation
• Gentle massage of the breast
• Anti-inflammatory diet
• Lymphatic drainage techniques

How to Prevent It in the First Place?

Good surgical planning and postoperative care can help reduce your risk. Consider the following tips for capsular contracture prevention:

• Select an experienced plastic surgeon who is board-certified in implant procedures.
• When appropriate, place implants under the muscle (this can help lower complication risk).
• Use textured implants when clinically appropriate.
• Avoid smoking before and after your surgery.
• Follow all aftercare instructions, including massage if recommended.

Capsular Contracture Treatment Options: Things to Consider

No single treatment fits everyone. The appropriate treatment options for capsular contracture will depend on:

• The stage of the contracture
• Your health overall
• Implant type and placement
• The potential outcomes of any prior surgery

A thorough consult is key. Experts will help you weigh the risks and benefits of your options and decide on a plan that meets your goals.

Analyzing Treatment Options for Capsular Contracture

Treatment for breast augmentation capsular contracture depends upon the severity of the problem, including natural methods of treatment, medications, and surgery to improve comfort.

When to Consult a Specialist?

Some mild capsular contracture symptoms may be manageable at home. But if pain increases or the shape of the implant changes, don’t delay.

You should contact a qualified plastic surgeon. Delaying care can lead to worse outcomes and more complex procedures. Treatment for early breast capsular contracture may save time, money, and emotional stress.

Conclusion

If you are facing capsular contracture of your breast implant, do not wait until it gets worse. Early intervention is always best, and early intervention will yield better results and fewer complications than late intervention.

Even if you negotiate non-surgical breast capsular contracture treatment or have questions about surgical approaches, help is on the way. You have options ranging from natural remedies to surgical approaches. Contact a qualified surgeon today. Get a qualified opinion that is tailored to your specific situation. Relief is possible; you are not alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Will breast implant capsular contracture ever go away on its own?

Ans. Mild cases may stabilize on their own, but it is rare for a case to completely resolve without some sort of intervention. Medical supervision is always advisable to prevent further problems.

2. Is breast implant capsular contracture painful?

Ans. It can be. Some patients experience mild tightness or firmness after surgery, while others increasingly experience pain and distortion of the breast.

3. How soon after surgery will capsular contracture develop?

Ans. Capsular contracture can happen within weeks or even years after implant surgery. Most of the early signs are missed completely without a routine examination.

4. What is the effectiveness of surgery for capsular contracture?

Ans. Most surgeries are effective at alleviating discomfort and improving breast shape; this is especially true if you receive proper post-operative care.

5. Does massage really improve capsular contracture?

Ans. Massage may be helpful in the early stages of breast augmentation capsular contracture, only if done correctly. If not done correctly, it may worsen the condition.

6. Does the breast implant type impact capsular contracture risk?

Ans. Yes, smooth-surfaced implants and over-the-muscle placement have a higher risk of contracture than textured or under-the-muscle options.

7. When having surgery for capsular contracture, should both implants be changed?

Ans. This depends on the severity of the capsular contracture and the age of your current implant. Some surgeons will always recommend replacing both implants, for symmetry and because the risk of capsular contracture is lower with new implants.