When you decided to have breast augmentation surgery you probably didn’t think about whether the breast implants would need to be removed.
However, many women who have breast implants may later make the decision to have them removed. The reasons for doing so can include having a breast cancer diagnosis, lifestyle changes or experiencing complications including capsular contraction.
Breast implant removal surgery is a cosmetic procedure that reverses the breast augmentation
It simply removes the breast implants or revises the shape and size of them.
Many women who have had breast implant surgery will ultimately need another breast implant revision procedure. These procedures include:
•Removing the implants and replacing them with new implants,
•Repositioning the existing implants, or
•Removing the breast implants without replacement.
If you have had complications with your breast implants (including infection or capsular contracture) your Plastic Surgeon may recommend that the breast implants are removed.
Other reasons breast implants need to be removed include:
•A build-up of calcium,
•Infection and/or bleeding, or
•Necrosis or the development of dead tissues around the breast implant.
Some of the more common reasons women choose to have their breast implants removed include:
•Implant complications: Breast implant complications include implant rupture, folding or deflation (if the breast implant is filled with saline).
•Personal choice: Some women may feel their breast implants are the wrong shape or size. Over time they may have moved into the wrong position because of weight loss, weight gain or pregnancies.
•Other complications: Capsular contracture, tension bands asymmetry, displacement, infection and leakage of silicone.
Breast implant removal surgery is performed under general anaesthesia and usually takes between one to three hours. Depending on your recovery, you may be able to go home on the same day of the surgery.
The three most common breast implant removal surgery techniques include:
1. Breast implant removal only
Incisions will be made in the same place as where the breast implant surgery was performed. If you are suffering from capsular contracture, they will remove the hardened capsules to accelerate the healing process.
2. Breast implant removal with a breast lift
Your Plastic Surgeon may perform a breast lift at the same time as your breast implant removal if your breast skin has been stretched or sagged. They will remove any excess breast skin and tighten your breast tissue to provide better support. In some cases, your Plastic Surgeon may also re-size your areolas to better fit your breasts new shape.
3. Deflation
If your breast implants are saline, your Plastic Surgeon may choose to deflate them without undergoing surgery and can occur in their office under local anaesthesia. Depending on the results of this you may need to have further surgery including a breast lift or breast implant replacement surgery.
Whilst recovery from breast implant surgery varies from person to person, most Plastic Surgeons agree that recovery after this surgery is usually smoother than the initial breast implant surgery. However, if you’ve had a breast lift after the breast implants have been removed, your breasts will feel tight and heavy for a few weeks.
Most women are able to return to work in five days and report experiencing minimal discomfort after the surgery. If you’ve had the breast implants removed due to capsular contracture, there will be more discomfort and the recovery time will be longer.
Breast implant removal scars typically heal very well and are often inconspicuous. It’s important to note they heal in stages with the process taking three to four months. While the scars will fade, they will never disappear entirely.
You will need to avoid lifting anything over five kilograms or exercising excessively for the first six weeks after your surgery. While you will usually be able to resume normal activity after six weeks, your breasts will take several months to settle into their new position.
It is very important to follow the instructions your Plastic Surgeon gives you including:
•Avoiding certain activities
•Wearing compression garments, and
•Taking pain medication as prescribed.
•Are there risks or complications with breast implant removal surgery?
Every cosmetic surgery procedure can bring complications of anaesthesia, which your Anaesthetist will outline.
Once you’ve had the breast implants removed, your breasts will initially look deflated. It can take two to three weeks for the breasts to regain their volume. If you’ve had a breast lift after the breast implants have been removed, your breasts will not have a ‘caved in’ appearance. It is important to note that while your scars will heal and fade over time, they will never fully disappear.
Following your breast implant removal surgery, your breasts will not look the same as before you had the original breast implant surgery. This result is because the weight of the breast implants stretches the tissue and causes changes in the rib area.
If you plan to get pregnant any time in the future, be sure to talk to your surgeon about how your breast surgery will affect your ability to nurse a baby. A talented surgeon like Dr Sheetal Londhe Monteiro can modify techniques and procedures to manage surgical outcomes, giving women the best chance possible to breastfeed with minimal or no implications. After giving birth, a lactation consultant can also help you explore ways to increase your milk production.
If you’re thinking about breast augmentation or breast reduction and want to discuss the right size, shape and type of surgery to best suit your individual circumstances