Capsular contracture is an exaggerated response of the body’s normal healing process. It is the thickening and or contracting of the lining that normally develops around an implant. This can happen around any medical device placed in the body, a breast implant, a plate on a wrist fracture, a pacemaker, etc. When the device is soft such as a breast implant, the capsular contracture can exert a force on the soft implant and change the shape of the breast.
When the implant is beneath the muscle, the capsule displaces the implant superiorly where there is less resistance compared to down against the fold. When the implant is above the muscle, the implant normally does not get displaced, it just becomes firm.
The photograph demonstrates before and after left breast selective capsulectomy, downsize of implants, and breast lift.
