Authored by: Dr. David Bogue
Breast augmentation is one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures performed in the country. Of the hundreds of thousands of women who undergo the procedure every year, the overwhelming majority love their results and experience no complications.
However, complications can occur occasionally. Although rare, some women experience a complication called “bottoming out,” a condition caused by the loss of internal support for a new breast implant.
Signs of a Bottoming Out Breast Implant
The term “bottoming out” refers to the condition in which a breast implant loses internal support. This can occur when the skin cannot hold the breast implant properly in place, or the underlying muscle is too weak. Bottoming out causes the breast implant to sink downward, toward the lower area of the breast. Common signs of bottoming out include:
- Nipples that appear to point upward instead of outward
- The bottom of the breast tissue appears to bulge downward
- An increased distance between the lower crease of the breast (inframammary fold) and the nipple
Weakness and lack of elasticity in the breast, tissue, skin, or both is the most common cause of bottoming out. The weakness can result from a number of issues, such as aging, pregnancy, nursing, dramatic weight loss, and even smoking.
How to Reduce Bottoming Out
Some things that can help to prevent breast implant bottoming out include:
- Choose the right surgeon: One of the best steps you can take to avoid bottoming out is to work only with a board-certified plastic surgeon for your breast augmentation. Be sure to review before and after examples of your surgeon’s work, and discuss potential risks and complications.
- Choose the right implant: It’s important to choose the right type, size, and shape of breast implant. Larger implants tend to be at higher risk for bottoming out. Dr. Bogue will discuss these factors with you at your initial consultation.
- Discuss your implant placement options: Submuscular placement, when the implant is placed beneath the pectoral muscle, generally helps to support the implant and keep it in the proper position.
- Know your body: Poor skin laxity and obvious breast sagging can potentially lead to bottoming out. Additionally, if you just finished breast feeding or have recently lost a significant amount of weight, discuss these issues with Dr. Bogue during your initial consult.
- Follow postoperative instructions: The chances of your breasts implants bottoming out are greatly reduced by closely following all of the postoperative instructions given to you by Dr. Bogue. It will be particularly important to consistently wear a supportive bra, especially if you have chosen larger breast implants.
Contact Our Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon Today
If you are experiencing bottoming out, or just want to learn more about breast augmentation, contact us today online or at 561-886-1000 to schedule a consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. David Bogue. We serve patients in Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and nearby areas in Florida.
