Breast Implant Removal

At our clinic, your comfort and safety are paramount. If you’re considering breast implant removal, you’re in good company. Many women opt for breast implant removal for various personal or health reasons. Dr. Natasha Luckey, a board-certified plastic surgeon, is dedicated to providing customized, safe procedures that meet your individual needs. Whether due to discomfort, a change in aesthetic preference, or health concerns, we’re here to support your journey toward well-being.

Motivations for Implant Removal

  • Changing Aesthetics: Some women seek a return to their natural breast size as their aesthetic preferences change over time.
  • Medical Necessity: Issues such as capsular contracture, implant leakage, or rupture can necessitate removal.
  • Health Concerns: In rare cases, conditions like anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) or unrelated breast cancer may require explantation.

Personal and Lifestyle Changes

Over time, personal tastes and lifestyles evolve, and many women find that their breast implants no longer align with their current self-image or way of life. Explantation allows breasts to return to their pre-augmented state, often making a breast lift unnecessary, although it remains an option for those who desire it.

Addressing Capsular Contracture

Capsular contracture can cause significant discomfort, forming dense scar tissue around the implants. This complication is often alleviated by removing the implants, eliminating the source of pain and discomfort as the body ceases to react to the foreign objects.

Understanding Saline Implant Deflation and Breast Implant Illness

Saline implant deflation offers a preview of the breast without the implant, which can be quite enlightening. Meanwhile, breast implant illness encompasses a range of symptoms such as fatigue, joint pain, and respiratory problems, which some patients find improve after implant removal.

Comprehensive Breast Implant Removal Procedure

Performed under general anesthesia, the procedure is adapted to your specific needs. For those preferring minimal sedation, explantation can also be conducted under local anesthesia with oral anti-anxiety medication and nitrous oxide, utilizing the most discreet incision possible.

Surgical Techniques and Options

Depending on the original placement of your implants, various incision options are available. If a previous inframammary scar exists, it can be utilized, minimizing new scarring. For implants inserted via transaxillary or periareolar incisions, appropriate adjustments are made to ensure optimal outcomes.

  • Advanced Explantation Methods

For straightforward procedures, simple removal is often sufficient, with the body naturally healing post-removal. However, in cases requiring more comprehensive intervention, capsulectomy may be performed. This involves the removal of scar tissue around the implant, which can help create a healthier breast environment and is particularly necessary if implant replacement is considered.

  • Specialized Techniques: En Bloc Total Capsulectomy

In rare cases where complete removal is necessary, an en-bloc total capsulectomy is performed. This technique removes the implant and surrounding capsule in one piece, ensuring no residual material remains. This method is more invasive and requires longer recovery but is critical for certain medical conditions.

  • Post-Explantation Options

After implant removal, many women opt for additional procedures to enhance the natural appearance of their breasts, such as a breast lift (mastopexy), fat grafting, or even new implants. These options help fulfill personal aesthetic goals and improve overall satisfaction with body image.

Enhancing Your Figure Beyond the Breast

Recognizing that body aesthetics can change over time, some women also explore other body contouring procedures post-explantation, such as liposuction, tummy tucks, or facial enhancements like eyelid surgery. These procedures can complement the changes made through breast implant removal, offering a comprehensive approach to body confidence.

Your Candidacy for Implant Removal

Ideal candidates are in good health and do not smoke. The procedure is particularly beneficial for those experiencing physical discomfort from their implants or those who wish to alter their appearance due to personal preference changes or dissatisfaction with previous surgical outcomes.

Risks and Recovery Insights

Like any surgical intervention, breast implant removal comes with potential risks, which typically include temporary pain and swelling. Recovery is generally swift, with most patients resuming normal activities within a couple of weeks. Detailed care instructions support a smooth recovery.

Is Explantation Right for You?

A personal consultation with Dr. Luckey offers the opportunity to discuss your specific concerns and goals related to breast implant removal. She will review your medical history and discuss all available options, including whether additional procedures might be suitable post-removal. Ready to take the next step? Contact us today.

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