If you’re looking into cosmetic surgery in Beverly Hills, then breast augmentation may be on your radar. To date, breast augmentation remains the number one cosmetic surgery for women thanks to its ability to give women a curvier, more feminine shape. That being said, having a breast augmentation is a major life decision. And many patients wonder if they can change sizes later. Specifically, they ask us: can I decrease implant size later.

Can I Decrease Implant Size Later?

During your consultations with your board-certified plastic surgeon, you’ll have many opportunities to explore different breast implant types and size options. While you’re exploring your choices, your doctor will advise you on the texture, weight, and visual impact of each possible choice. You will even have the opportunity to try on specialized bras. These are made to help you get a better idea of what your results will look and feel like.

By the time you actually undergo your breast augmentation, you should be confident in your choices. In fact, 98% of women are totally satisfied with their breast augmentation results. However, time changes everything, and you may feel differently about your implants in ten or twenty years. It could be that you’re looking for a more slender curve, or the weight may be more than you bargained for. Regardless of the reason, many women choose to change their implants along the way.

The Process of Downsizing

Any procedure that makes changes to your implant is referred to as a breast implant revision. It’s a fairly common procedure because fashion and tastes change as we age, so your board-certified plastic surgeon already has plenty of practice. However, the procedure is a bit different from your initial augmentation, so you’ll want to keep that in mind as you go along. Here are just a few differences you may want to keep in mind.

Issues to Keep in Mind during Breast Revision

You May Want to Wait

Acclimating to a new body shape isn’t easy. During the first few months, you’re likely to notice differences during exercise, sex, and even when you’re just getting dressed. For some patients, those changes can elicit a bit of regret at first. Especially when their breasts are still swollen in the weeks following surgery.

After a year, 98% of breast augmentation patients are happy with their choices. Therefore, your plastic surgeon may suggest getting used to your new décolletage for ten to twelve months before opting for a breast revision. It isn’t that they don’t understand. They just know that it takes time, and they don’t want you to regret not sticking with it.

Complications Can Influence the Process

If your breast revision is just a matter of swapping out implants, then the process is fairly straightforward. They can typically use the same incision lines and everything. However, if you’ve had complications with your implants, then your experience with your revision may be a little more involved.

You May Need a Breast Lift

Patients who are opting for a dramatic decrease in implant size will almost always need a breast lift. Since your skin was stretched to accommodate the implant, your plastic surgeon will need to remove excess skin and reduce the size of your areolas to give you the same perk and proper proportion that you had before.

You’ll Have Even More Options

If it’s been awhile since your initial breast augmentation, then you may be surprised at the different types of implants available to you now. Different shapes and materials make it possible for breast implants to look as natural or as noticeable as you want.

Now, it will be a little more difficult to try them on for size since you’re going smaller, so you may want to look at your plastic surgeon’s portfolio to get a sense of what works for women with a similar body type to yours.

It Could Result in Additional Scarring

Many breast revisions will not result in additional scarring, especially if you’ve already had a breast lift. However, if you’ve had complications or are having your first breast lift alongside your revision, then there will be some extra incisions. Of course, you can discuss this with your plastic surgeon. Then you can figure out about those incisions and what the healing process is for a more aesthetic look.