Cosmetic Surgeons Warn Against Using Internal Bra Mesh for Breast Lifts

Surgeons have described the use of breast mesh in internal bra procedures as ineffective and potentially dangerous, warning that the technique is driven more by marketing than proven medical benefit

Plastic surgeons are voicing concerns about the growing use of internal bra mesh products in cosmetic breast procedures, warning that the materials may be causing painful and preventable complications for many women nationwide.

An “internal bra” is a surgical technique used in some breast lift and augmentation procedures to provide extra support along the lower portion of the breast. In many cases, surgeons create this support using internal suturing alone, which tightens and reshapes the natural tissue without adding any foreign material. However, a growing number of cosmetic procedures rely on mesh-based internal bras, where a sheet of surgical mesh is sewn inside the breast to act as a long-term scaffold.

Although these mesh materials were originally developed for hernia repair and other soft-tissue reinforcement, brands like GalaFLEX, Phasix, Strattice and AlloDerm have been sold to plastic surgeons in recent years, who have used the products as “internal support systems.” These mesh products have been used to maintain breast shape following lifts, augmentations or reconstruction. Many patients were led to believe the mesh would function like a permanent internal bra, supporting the lower breast and preventing bottoming out.

However, these mesh products were never determined by the FDA to be safe or effective for cosmetic breast surgery, and women across the U.S. continue reporting internal bra mesh side effects. Surgeons describe mesh that fails to incorporate into tissue, triggers significant inflammation, or contributes to deformities and infections that later require complex surgical correction.

Amid these concerns, several board-certified plastic surgeons have begun publicly warning against mesh-based internal bras, cautioning that the materials may add cost, unnecessary risks, and offer little evidence of long-term benefit.

These first hand accounts have provided support to a growing number of breast mesh lawsuit investigations being opened nationwide by product liability lawyers, who claim the manufacturers sold mesh used in these procedures that caused serious complications including infection, nerve damage, capsular contracture and implant failure.

Surgeon Warns Breast Bra Mesh Is More Marketing Than Medicine

In a TikTok video that has been widely shared among patients considering breast lift or implant procedures, double board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Lind explained why he avoids using internal bra mesh in cosmetic surgeries. He says many patients ask about the technique, often because they have heard it is used as a way to reinforce the lower breast and keep implants or tissue elevated over time.

Dr. Lind explains that the term “internal bra” generally refers to surgeons placing a sheet of mesh along the bottom portion of the breast to act like structural support, similar in concept to how an external bra holds the breast in place. While mesh has long been used in reconstructive surgeries after mastectomy, where very little natural tissue remains, he notes that its migration into cosmetic breast surgery was not based on clinical evidence.

According to Dr. Lind, the problem is not just the complications he encounters, but the fact that patients are being sold on a concept that lacks proven benefit.

“An internal bra to me is more of a marketing term. I have never seen any definitive evidence, scientific, or even just seeing other surgeons work where the internal bra has provided any benefit whatsoever. In fact, it increases your cost of surgery and it can certainly increase your risk of surgery.”

He described a recent case in which a patient developed severe complications after undergoing an internal bra procedure elsewhere.

“As a matter of fact, I had a patient last week who had this internal bra in place and she had some very bad breast complications and when I was inside her breast on the right side, she had a piece of mesh that did not incorporate into the tissue and it was a complete disaster trying to fix this for the patient.”
-Dr. Jeffrey Lind: Double Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon

Similar complications are now at the center of product liability investigations, where plaintiffs allege that mesh devices used for internal bra procedures can fail to incorporate into surrounding tissue, triggering infections, deformities and the need for corrective surgery.

Dr. Lind concluded that internal bra mesh is largely a marketing tool rather than a medically supported enhancement, and that the risks outweigh any potential benefit.

Concerns Raised by Dr. Rami Sherif About Breast Mesh Use

In a detailed YouTube video, plastic surgeon Dr. Rami Sherif explained why he generally discourages the use of mesh materials in breast surgery. He notes that while mesh comes in many forms and is marketed as a way to support the lower portion of the breast during lifts or augmentation, the long-term results are often disappointing.

During the video, Dr. Sherif explains that the goal of mesh is to prevent implants or breast tissue from “bottoming out,” a complication where the breast droops lower on the chest wall. However, he says the technique does not reliably stop this from happening, and may create additional complications because it introduces yet another foreign device into the body.

“First of all, I don’t think they work particularly well. I I think those breasts still do bottom out fairly often… and then you’ve just added a foreign device into the breast again… So, there’s something the body has to react against”
-Dr. Rami Sherif: Here is why using breast mesh can be a problem (Youtube)

Dr. Sherif also notes that he sees many patients who previously had mesh placed during earlier procedures and now need revision surgery or explant operations. According to his explanation, mesh often becomes incorporated into the capsule surrounding the implant, which means surgeons typically have to remove it along with scar tissue. Depending on the type of mesh and where it attaches, removal can be simple or difficult, particularly when the material adheres to the underside of the skin or breast tissue.

He emphasized that each time mesh is used, it adds complexity, increases the presence of foreign material, and does not reliably stop the breast from bottoming out again. He ultimately concludes the mesh “just adds another complicating factor” without providing consistent benefit.

“Some types of reactions can cause things like seromas or infections or problems with the foreign mesh material that they used. So, I just think it adds another layer of things that we don’t need to have in the body.”
–Dr. Rami Sherif: Plastic Surgeon

Surgeon Warnings Support Internal Bra Mesh Injury Claims

The concerns raised by these plastic surgeons closely mirror the allegations now being made in internal bra mesh lawsuit investigations. Surgeons report seeing the same complications that women describe after surgery, including mesh that fails to incorporate into breast tissue, chronic inflammation, deformity and revision procedures that become far more complex because of the implanted material.

Their firsthand accounts support claims that mesh was marketed as a stable internal support system despite evidence that it may also cause complications following surgery.

These professional warnings reinforce the central argument in lawsuit investigations, which allege that manufacturers sold mesh products that were used for cosmetic breast lifts and augmentations, even though the materials were never proven safe for this use. According to the claims, companies failed to warn surgeons or patients about the risks of degradation, detachment, infection and tissue damage.

Women may qualify for a mesh injury claim if they underwent a breast lift, augmentation or reconstruction using mesh and later experienced:

• Mesh detachment or failure to incorporate into tissue
• Infection or abscess formation
• Chronic pain or nerve-related symptoms
• Seromas or persistent fluid buildup
• Tissue inflammation or necrosis
• Breast deformity or bottoming out
• Loss of the implant or reconstruction failure
• Requirement for revision surgery or mesh removal

Internal bra lawyers are pursuing financial compensation for women who were injured to recover medical expenses, corrective surgeries, lost income, pain and suffering, and long-term complications linked to failed mesh materials

Individuals who experienced internal bra mesh complications can request a free, no-obligation case review to determine whether they qualify for a lawsuit or potential settlement. All claims are handled on a contingency basis, meaning there are no fees unless a recovery is obtained.