What to Know About Breast Implant Removal

What You Should Know About Breast Implant Removal

Many women undergo breast implant removal surgery. You don’t think that you might need to remove the breast implants down the road when you first decide to go for a breast augmentation surgery with implants.

There are many reasons for breast implant removal and they vary from patient to patient. Sometimes patients go for Revision breast augmentation because they are not satisfied with the result of the first breast augmentation surgery. Sometimes complications such as capsular contracture occur after the breast augmentation surgery, then also Revision breast augmentation surgery has to be performed to correct it. There are some other reasons also for breast implant removals such as anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), wrinkling, implant shifting, rupture, asymmetry or deflation. Sometimes patient reacts negatively to the implant and receive an infection or bleed as an outcome. If a patient develops breast cancer after the surgery, she will need to remove the breast implant. Also, the appearance of calcium deposits in the breasts can also lead to breast implant removal.

In Breast implant removal, you may replace the implants or you may not if you don’t want to. Mostly, women go for breast implant removal and replace the implant with a bigger one. If the implants are not replaced, your breasts will tend to droop and sag after implant removal; therefore if replacement is not involved, this surgery is combined with a breast lift. Discuss these factors in advance with your breast surgeon before your breast implant removal.

The time taken by Breast implant removal surgery is usually about an hour. General anesthesia or intravenous sedation is given to the patient during the surgery. First of all, your surgeon will remove the scar tissue known as the capsule which encloses the implant. Next, the implant will be removed from your breast. If you had saline breast implants, they would be defeated by the plastic surgeon before the implant removal. Usually, the breast implants are removed using the same cuts that were made to put the implants there in your breast augmentation surgery.

The capsule may also be removed in some cases. This operation is known as a capsulectomy. It can be performed if the new implant is to be placed in a new position; the implant is not being replaced; The new implant is a variant in type or texture; the new implant is bigger. In case of breast implants without its replacement, pockets are formed into your breast where your first implants were sat, but these pockets will get sealed with time. To seal these pockets more quickly, wear a compression garment or breast support. These compression garment or breast support will also help to lessen the risks of the pocket filling with fluid after the breast implant removal.

All surgeries have some or the other risks include, same is for the breast implant removal surgery. Breast Implant Removal surgery has some Risks and Complications including breast sagging, Infection, Loose skin, Scarring, Anesthesia complications and Loss of sensation in the nipples, etc. Due to the reduction in breast size or maybe the reason for the implant removal is any disease, like a breast cancer diagnosis, emotional and psychological issues may also occur.

The recovery period can be different for the different patient depending upon the cause of the breast implant removal and whether replacement with new implants is involved or not. To avoid any complications after your surgery, follow your doctor’s instructions correctly.  You will get the important information on what you cannot and can do after surgery, from the plastic surgeon.  Follow the instructions on how to take care of your incisions. Go for the scheduled of follow-up visits.

Breast sagging which is also known as ptosis can happen after implant removal surgery when the tissues don’t tighten up after the removal of the implants that were stretched by the implants. You can go for a breast lift if this situation occurs.

Generally, patients take a week to recover from the surgery, if they have undergone a breast lift with removal. Your breasts will feel heavy and tight for up to many weeks. Avoid lifting anything over 10 pounds for a few six weeks.