A new study looks at the "reoperation rate" for 287 patients who had breast augmentation surgery. By addressing three common problems, surgeons were able to reduce the reoperation rate from the typical 20%-25% to 10%, reports Leroy Young, MD, professor of plastic surgery at Washington University in St. Louis.

He presented a paper on breast augmentation with implants at the annual meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons in San Antonio this week.

The three most common reasons women have breast augmentation surgery redone:

• to change the size of the implant
• to improve the natural feel of the breast
• to minimize contractions from scar tissue around the implant

To ensure that patients initially chose the right breast implant size, surgeons allowed them to look through an extensive photo library containing photos of women who matched their body type. This allowed women to "understand how the implants will look on them before they decide on the size they want," he says in a news release.

Also, because women often wear the wrong bra size, patients were measured to determine their preoperative cup size.

To improve the natural feel of the breast, physicians used only smooth implants rather than textured ones -- so there are fewer "wrinkles" in the breast.

To decrease contractions from scar tissue around the implant, surgeons improved the sterilization procedures they used during surgery.

Women "can now initially receive the right breast size for their body and know that their risk for local complications is significantly reduced," Young says in the news release.

"Saline-filled breast implants have always been safe, which is supported by more than 30 years of clinical experience throughout the plastic surgery community," says Young. "However, breast implants are like any other medical device, such as knee or hip replacements, and will realistically require occasional reoperation."