Breast Implant Exchange: Because Change Is a Natural Part of Life.

A breast implant exchange — also known as implant replacement or revision augmentation — is a surgical procedure that removes existing implants and replaces them with new ones. It may involve reshaping the breast pocket, adjusting the implant’s position, or refining the overlying soft tissue to restore symmetry and support.

Modern breast implants are long-lasting and highly durable. Over time though, factors such as natural ageing, gravity, pregnancy, or fluctuations in weight can alter the breast shape and position, making an exchange desirable. Medically, the procedure can also address issues like capsular contracture, implant rupture, or aesthetic irregularities.

At Dr. Kelly®, we use only the newest generation of cohesive silicone implants from certified European manufacturers, offering improved safety, consistency, and a more natural feel. During your consultation, we work with implant sizers that allow you to feel and see the difference in size and projection — helping you find the breast shape that fits your proportions and your sense of self perfectly.

There are several reasons why an implant exchange may be appropriate — some purely aesthetic, others medical.
The most common include:

• Natural ageing or tissue changes:
  Over time, the breast tissue and skin lose elasticity, and the implant may no longer sit as it once did.

• Size or shape adjustment:
  Many women now seek a more natural, proportionate look, sometimes opting for smaller implants or a subtler contour.

• Capsular contracture:
  This is a hardening of the tissue around the implant, which can cause discomfort or distortion of the breast shape.

• Implant rupture or leakage:
  Rare, but possible after many years, and best corrected by replacing the implant.

• Textured implants and BIA-ALCL:
  Women who still have older, strongly textured implants — those with a rough surface — are often advised to exchange them. These implants have been associated in rare cases with a condition called Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).
  At Dr. Kelly®, we recommend replacing such implants with the new generation of nanotextured implants, which provide the same stability and natural shape — but with a significantly improved safety profile.

• Desire for updated technology:
  Modern implants have improved materials and design, offering a more natural movement and feel.

Whatever brings you to consider this change, it’s important to know that the process is safe, controlled, and entirely in your hands.
For many women, an implant exchange represents not only an aesthetic adjustment — but also a sense of renewal and closure.
It’s about reconnecting with yourself and feeling completely at ease in your own body again.

One of the most frequent reasons for an exchange is to modify the breast size.
If you wish for smaller implants, the surgeon may need to reduce the implant pocket (called capsulorrhaphy) and sometimes combine it with a mastopexy (breast lift) to maintain upper-pole fullness and prevent sagging.
In certain cases, fat grafting — transferring a small amount of purified fat from your own body — can be added to create a soft, natural transition from the implant to the surrounding tissue.

If you decide on larger implants, the pocket can be safely expanded, while preserving the support of the internal tissue. The goal is to achieve increased volume without stretching the skin excessively.
During surgery, we use temporary sizers — sterile trial implants — to assess shape, balance, and projection in real time. This allows us to ensure that the final implant chosen during the operation fits your body perfectly and achieves the desired result with precision.

Whether smaller or larger, the goal remains the same: a natural movement, elegant proportion, and a result that feels completely your own.

All implant exchange surgeries at Dr. Kelly® are performed under gentle twilight sedation.

Our anaesthesia specialists use advanced, low-dose protocols that ensure full relaxation and pain control while avoiding the heavy after-effects of traditional general anaesthesia.

You breathe spontaneously throughout the procedure, and vital functions are continuously monitored.
Patients wake up smoothly, without nausea, and recover for a few hours in our private recovery suite before returning home the same day.
This approach provides exceptional comfort, safety, and a calm overall experience.

The operation is performed as an outpatient surgery in our private, certified operating theatre.
Depending on the indication, the procedure typically lasts between one and two hours.

• In most cases, your surgeon will reopen the previous incision — usually in the inframammary fold — to avoid creating any new scars.
• Through this incision, the old implant is removed, the capsule is examined, and adjustments are made as needed:
• If the capsule is thickened or contracted, a capsulectomy (partial or total removal of the capsule) is performed.
• If the capsule is intact and soft, it can be preserved and reshaped to support the new implant (a capsulotomy).
• The implant pocket may be modified to adjust projection or symmetry.

After inserting the new implants using a Keller Funnel® (a sterile, no-touch device that reduces friction and bacterial contamination), the surgeon closes the incision with fine, absorbable sutures.
A light compressive dressing and a soft compression bra are applied to maintain position and minimise swelling.

Most women are relieved to learn that a breast implant exchange rarely leaves new scars.
At Dr. Kelly®, we carefully use the same incision lines as your previous surgery — typically under the breast fold — so the old scar is simply reopened and closed again with microscopic precision.
Because the incision follows the natural fold of the breast, it fades discreetly over time and is barely visible.

We also use fine absorbable sutures, medical adhesive strips, and our post-operative scar management programme, which includes special scar products, laser, PRP and light therapy.
With this care, most scars heal smoothly within a few weeks and continue to mature beautifully over several months.

Recovery from an implant exchange is often easier than the initial augmentation.
Mild swelling and tightness are common during the first days, but discomfort is minimal and managed with light pain medication.
Most women return to normal daily activities after a few days, though sports and heavy lifting should be avoided for three to four weeks.

The breasts settle into their new position gradually over several months.
Follow-up appointments at Dr. Kelly® ensure that healing progresses normally and that symmetry and softness develop as intended.
Final results typically stabilise after about three to six months — with a natural feel and appearance.

The price for a Breast Implant Exchange starts at CHF 8,900. A specific, customized offer will be made to you after a personal consultation with a clinical examination.

Your well-being and an optimal result is our top priority. Each patient has an individuality whose needs are the focus of our treatments. Therefore, it is not always possible to give a general estimate of the costs. Therefore, please understand that we cannot give generally valid prices for Breast Implant Exchange. The costs of each surgical treatment also depend on your personal initial situation and your wishes.

Are you interested in a Breast Implant Exchange and would like to know more about the prices?
Write us a message and arrange your consultation!