A breast implant may be felt through the skin. How noticeable it is depends on factors such as the thickness of the overlying tissue, implant size, surface and position. Even correctly positioned implants may remain palpable when there is little natural tissue covering them.
Visible wrinkling, also called rippling, is different from simply being able to feel an implant. New firmness, pain or a change in breast shape may indicate a complication and should be examined. Self-examination cannot reliably rule out implant damage.
Before surgery, tissue coverage, a suitable implant size and possible limitations are discussed. If being able to feel the implant is troublesome, the next steps depend on the specific findings.