What it looks like
A double bubble is a visible line or shelf in the lower breast. You see the implant forming one rounded shape and the natural breast tissue forming another above or in front of it, so the breast looks like it has two parts. The fold under the breast can look doubled.
Why it happens
It happens when the implant sits below the natural fold, or when the breast tissue does not drape smoothly over the implant. Common contributors are a naturally tight or short lower breast, a fold that was lowered during surgery, an implant that has dropped, and a mismatch between the implant and the breast base.
Breasts with a constricted lower pole, including some tubular breasts, are more prone to it. See our page on tubular breasts for more on that shape.
How it is corrected
The treatment depends on the cause. If the implant has dropped, the pocket and fold are rebuilt and supported. If the fold was set too low, it is raised and secured to its natural level. If the lower breast is tight, it is released so the tissue can expand and meet the implant.
The implant may be exchanged. A smaller or differently shaped implant can fit a narrower breast more naturally. In some people, a lift is combined with the correction to bring the breast tissue and the implant back into alignment.
- Fold repair and pocket support
- Releasing a tight lower pole
- Exchanging or downsizing the implant
- Lift when skin and nipple position call for it
Fat grafting as part of the plan
Fat grafting can smooth the transition between the breast and the implant and fill the step that creates the doubled look. It adds soft-tissue cover rather than more implant, which is why it fits the current shift toward natural, proportionate results.
What to ask
Ask whether your breast base and fold are the cause, whether a smaller implant would suit you, whether a staged plan is safer, and what the realistic improvement is. Revision cannot guarantee a perfect result, and further surgery is sometimes needed.