My implants are 15 years old
My implants are 15 years old. I would like to have them exchanged for a smaller size. My surgeon has suggested deflating my implants prior to exchange. What can I expect? How long do I have to wait to exercise?
How much less volume you would like to have? 10%, 20%, 30%. When a saline implant gets deflated by 20 or 30cc usually the implant still feels and looks good, but when too much is removed, then the implant will have more folds on it, and that can be palpated by the patient, and you may not like that. Discuss with your surgeon about how much smaller you want to be, and then will be easier to decide if you need new implants or just the deflation.
If you are going to have your implants exchanged for smaller implants I do see the reason to deflate your current implants. This maneuver is for a patient that is unsure if they want new implants after removal of their current implants. Deflating the implants before removal in that case gives the patient a snap shot of what her breasts will look like without replacing the implants.
Deflating saline filled implants prior to either removal or an exchange gives the body time to adjust and to evaluate the response of the skin and tissue to shrinkage. In general, the deflation should not interfere with your ability to exercise, it would be the surgery to replace or removal the implants that would limit exercise in the immediate post operative period. Check with your surgeon for instructions on returning to your activities.
Thanks for your question. I'm assuming that you have saline implants since those are the only kind that can be deflated. By deflating the implant you will have a better idea of what your current size is based on your breast tissue. Normally the skin can be numbed and the deflation is relatively painless. I usually have people wait a few days to exercise. If you are changing to a smaller silicone implant I think you will find them to look and feel more natural. Best of Luck!