Breast Implant Removal Without Replacement

If you’re considering removing your breast implants and don’t think they will be replaced, it can be helpful to consider the pros and cons of doing so. In some cases, removal is the right choice for women who have had issues with their implants—but if you don’t have any problems with yours now or in the future, then it may not be necessary. For many women who are considering removal without replacement surgery, it comes down to weighing risks versus benefits.

In this guide, we review the aspects of Breast Implant Removal Without Replacement, breast implant removal after mastectomy, pectoral muscles after breast implant removal, and after breast implant removal side effects.

Breast Implant Removal Without Replacement

If you’re considering having your breast implants removed, you probably have quite a few questions and concerns related to the procedure. To help you better understand what’s involved, Dr. Ortiz, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Raleigh, is sharing the answers to your frequently asked questions.

What is a breast implant removal?

If you have breast implants from breast augmentation or breast reconstruction, and would like to have them removed, we can perform that procedure. Breast implants are not designed to be permanent and may need to be replaced or removed sometimes as early as 10 to 15 years. Often, women who have had physical changes over the years find their implants don’t suit their body anymore and are ready to have them removed or replaced. In rare cases, an implant that has leaked or has caused painful scar tissue would also need to be removed.

What happens at my initial consultation?

Dr. Ortiz will sit down with you to provide you with an in-depth understanding of what the procedure entails. Not only does this include the nature of the surgery, cost, and what you can expect both appearance-wise and for your recovery.

How is the procedure performed?

You will receive anesthesia first, and then an incision will be made either along the inframammary fold under the breast or around or below the areola. Depending on the scar from your breast augmentation surgery, Dr.Ortiz may use that spot to prevent creating an extra scar. The implant is removed as well as the breast “capsule,” which is the fibrous scar tissue that forms around an implant. Sometimes, if a breast lift is recommended, it will be performed during this portion of the operation. Then, Dr.Ortiz will close the incision, and you’ll have the opportunity to rest and recover in a private space.

What kind of anesthesia will be used?

How long does it take to remove the implants?

The procedure itself usually takes one to three hours, depending on if there was leaking, a rupture, or excess scar tissue. Following the procedure, you’ll have a few hours of recovery time as the anesthesia wears off.

What kind of scars will I have?

The incisions are placed in inconspicuous areas to prevent visible scarring, and often, Dr. Ortiz can use the same incision from the breast augmentation procedure to prevent having to add an additional scar. If a new incision is placed, it will either be under the breast along the inframammary fold or around the areola where changes in skin pigmentation will make the scar less noticeable.

What can I expect from the results, appearance-wise?

Your results will depend on several factors – the initial size of your implants, how much breast tissue is left, and if there is scar tissue left behind. Initially, there will be swelling from the surgery, so you may not see final results for several weeks to even a year after your procedure.

Dr. Ortiz will sit down with you during your initial consultation and will be able to give you a more realistic expectation of how you’ll look without the implants in.

What is the recovery process like?

Since you will be coming out of anesthesia, you will need someone to drive you home from the center and stay with you for 24 hours after the surgery. You will be on narcotic pain medication for around two days following the surgery and NSAIDs (like Advil or Aleve) are recommended for any pain after this time. You will be able to drive once you have stopped taking narcotics and most patients are able to return to work in two or three days. We will provide you with compression garments to wear for six weeks, and during this time, it’s important to avoid strenuous activity and exercise (besides walking). During recovery, it is important to sleep on your back or side.

How much does breast implant removal cost?

This depends on multiple factors. The type of previous augmentation, how severe is the scar tissue and if there is associated procedures like a breast lift.

What are your payment terms?

We require a payment of 25% of the total cost up front to secure your surgery date. The remaining balance must be paid in full no later than two weeks before the surgery takes place. While most cosmetic surgeries are not covered by insurance, we accept Care Credit, Alpheon, and all major credit cards.

What is included in the cost of the procedure?

The cost of your breast implant removal is comprehensive to include all pre-op and post-op appointments, anesthesia, the surgery and surgical materials, as well as any post-op compression garments. Prescription pain medication is not covered in the cost of surgery and is not dispensed by North Raleigh Plastic Surgery.

Are there complications with a breast implant removal procedure?

Removing breast implants is a very safe procedure with minimal risk of complications. The most common complications include infection, pain, hematoma, and unsightly scars. Dr. Ortiz will discuss complications and address any concerns at your consultation.

breast implant removal after mastectomy

What Is Breast Implant Removal?

Breast implant removal is a surgical procedure done to remove breast implants. Breast implants can be placed for augmentation (cosmetic purposes) or after breast reconstruction.

The surgery is done by a surgeon in a hospital or outpatient facility. Typically, it is an outpatient procedure, meaning you can go home that same day.

A medical doctor called an anesthesiologist will prepare a person and administer sedation medication and general anesthesia.

The surgeon will make an incision around the areola, below the areola, or under the breast fold. Depending on the type of surgery, the implants and the breast capsules will be removed.

After the surgery, the surgeon will close the incision site with sutures, clips, or adhesives.

What Is a Breast Implant Capsule?

A breast implant capsule is the scar tissue that grows around a breast implant after it is placed. It is a natural reaction to a foreign object inside the body. The tissue usually is soft or slightly firm and helps keep the breast implant in the right spot. However, some people develop very firm scar tissue called capsular contracture. This can cause pain and change the shape of the breast.

Various Surgical Techniques

When you have your breast implants removed, you may or may not have the breast capsule removed.

A breast capsule can harden, causing pain and changes in breast shape. In these circumstances, a capsulotomy is performed. This is a procedure in which the breast capsule is opened or partially removed. When the whole capsule needs to be removed, it is called a capsulectomy. However, if the breast capsule is soft, it may not need to be removed.

Potential Risks

As with any surgery, there are risks. These risks will be assessed by your healthcare provider and discussed with you. Breast implant removal risks can include:

Before surgery, you must talk to your healthcare provider to understand the risks and weigh the benefits vs. the risks.

Purpose of Breast Implant Removal

Breast implants do not last a lifetime and must be replaced every 10 to 20 years.

Breast implant removal is a personal decision that can be made for various reasons. You may no longer want implants or wish to change your appearance. Other reasons include:

How to Prepare

There are a few steps to take to prepare for breast implant removal surgery. You should arrange for someone to drive you home after surgery because the medications given cause drowsiness, and driving is not safe.

A healthcare provider may call you before the surgery to order lab tests or imaging. They will give instructions on preparing for the surgery and give specific details pertaining to your circumstances.

If you are preparing for breast implant removal, ask your healthcare provider for individualized instructions. Some of these instructions may include:

What to Expect on the Day of Surgery

On the day of surgery, you will meet your surgical team, which can include surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and others. You will be brought back to the preoperative room. You will be asked and have the opportunity to ask questions, change into a surgical gown, and possibly have an intravenous line (IV) placed.

When the operating room is ready, you will be brought into the room and prepared for surgery. When surgery is over, compression bandages and drains may be placed around the surgical area.

Recovery

After surgery, you will be brought into the recovery area. There may be bandages to help reduce swelling and cover the incision sites. Drains are placed to allow fluid and blood to drain out instead of accumulating in the body.

You will be given instructions on:

Summary

Breast implant removal is a surgical procedure used to remove breast implants. There are several reasons why someone may choose to remove breast implants. They may include personal preference, breast implant leaking, and scar tissue development. This outpatient surgery carries risks that the person and their healthcare providers should consider.

pectoral muscles after breast implant removal

You may not have expected to have breast implant removal surgery after breast augmentation, but, like many women, you’ve decided that the breast implants are no longer right for your body, or you are among the few who have developed unwanted side effects. Dr. Zochowski has worked with you to optimize this sudden change to your body, restoring your breasts to a shape that is livable and natural. Now, your diligent post operation care will ensure optimal results.

Basic Care at First

Dr. Zochowski may have fitted you with a compression garment that supports incisions, and excess fluids may require drains. Appointments will be scheduled for their removal after two to three days. Though your swelling may last for weeks, most women don’t suffer major discomfort, so it’s important that you don’t push yourself just because you’re feeling good. If your removal was due to capsular contracture, you might experience a more painful recovery, so if over-the-counter pain killers are inadequate, Dr. Zochowski may provide a prescription.

Follow specific instructions for wound care and prescription medications. Your post-surgery appointments will assess your healing process, specifying what you can and can’t do. Recovery rate varies, of course, with each individual.

The First Two Days

You will be resting after your breast implant removal operation with exertion limited to moving around the house, especially if you’ve had a breast lift following implant removal. If so, your recuperation may last a little longer, and your breasts may feel tight and/or heavy for several weeks.

Since you may not have had a chance to prepare foods ahead of time, it’s best if you get help with meals. As with any plastic surgery, it’s important that you get moving to stimulate bowel movements and prevent blood clots from forming. Watch for signs of infection and bleeding, which can be more common in implant removals than in the augmentation process. Stay hydrated.

Easing Back Into Activities

Though your breasts will not look the way they did before the augmentation implants, you may wish to make the most of your natural silhouette with pectoral exercises such as chest presses, chest flies, pull-overs, and pushups. For more tips on how exercising pectoral muscles after breast implant removal can help the appearance of your breasts, see “How to Keep Lifted Breasts Perky with these Exercises.”

after breast implant removal side effects

A cosmetic surgical procedure, like breast implant removal recovery any form of surgery, is a collaborative procedure. Sure, your surgeon brings their skills, knowledge and expertise (quite literally) to the table, but the patient also has a role to play. It’s up to them to look after their bodies both leading up to the breast implant removal surgery and prior to the surgery. Any cosmetic surgeon worth their salt knows that their responsibility to the patient does not end the moment they leave the practice. Far from it. Every surgeon has a responsibility to ensure that their patient receives the very best aftercare and is given all the information and guidance they need to make a speedy and effective recovery that helps them to get the cosmetic results they need.

This is true of any cosmetic procedure and certainly applies to a breast implant removal. There are many reasons why a woman may have second thoughts about her breast augmentation. She may be disappointed that the results of her prior procedure were not what her surgeon had promised her. She may have begun to experience capsular contracture (this is where the scar tissue around the breast tightens leading to pain, tenderness and distortion of the breast shape). She may need to change the size of her breasts via a breast revision procedure or she may even experience leakage of her implant and need to have it removed for her safety.

Nonetheless, even if she has resigned herself to the fact that a breast implant removal is the right thing to do, she may still have a great deal of trepidation. She may worry that it might take a long time to heal and that she may not be able to return to her normal life. Here we’ll look at how long it takes to recover from a breast implant removal and what you can do to ensure that you heal as quickly and effectively as possible.

How Long Does It Take To Heal After A Breast Implant Removal?

Before we address this question, it’s important to remember that there is a difference between how long it takes for your body to heal enough for you to live your normal day-to-day life and how long it can take until you start to see the desired results.

Usually, there will be a sizeable discrepancy between the two. However, for both it is important to follow your surgeon’s personalized instructions for a safe, healthy and speedy recovery as well as cosmetically optimal results.

It’s important to note that every woman is different and as such it’s hard to make hard and fast assertions when it comes to recovery time. Your surgeon will be able to tell you;

Following a breast implant removal procedure your incision wounds will be sutured and dressed and drains will be fitted which can usually be removed after 2-3 days.

Your surgeon will likely recommend that you not return to work and remain as relaxed as possible for at least a few days. Your surgeon may prescribe some pain medication to help keep you comfortable. It’s important to take these as pain (as well as other forms of stress) can slow down the healing process. Your surgical incisions must not be subjected to excessive force, abrasion or motion while they are healing. For this reason it is not recommended to return to the gym or undergo strenuous exercise or sports for 4-6 weeks.  

Most patients are usually able to return to work following a breast implant removal after a week or so. However, this may vary depending on the nature of your job and how physically active it requires you to be.  

When Can You Expect To See The Results & What Can You Expect?

While you can expect to return to your normal life within about a week and return to the gym or sports within 6 weeks it can take substantially longer to see the final results. In most cases it can take up to a year for all the tissues to fully heal following your surgery and you can expect to experience swelling and fluctuation in your breast size and shape even after your surgical incisions have fully healed. When your breasts are fully healed it’s important to bear in mind that they may still look different to how they did prior to your surgery.

The final results of breast implant removal surgery depend on a number of factors. They depend mainly on;

In some cases the breast tissue may be thin as a result of having implants for an extended period of time. Thus, you may feel that the results are not as cosmetic as you may have hoped or look very different to the initial appearance of your breasts before their augmentation. In some cases, it may not be possible to achieve the most cosmetically optimal results with a single procedure and additional surgery may be necessary.

In the majority of cases, however, a successful surgery and a satisfactory result is achieved so long as the surgeons instructions are followed.

Is There Anything I Can Do To Heal From Surgery More Quickly?

As previously stated, it’s important to give your incision scars plenty of time to heal before undergoing strenuous exercise or returning to the gym. It’s also important to reduce stress in your day-to-day life as much as possible. This is because psychological stress can be extremely tough on your body and can actually slow down the healing process. As previously stated, this is why effective pain management is also very important.

Your diet is also an important way to boost your chances of a speedy and effective healing process. Your body is much better able to repair damaged tissue when it has the nutrients it needs to do so optimally. As such, you should ensure that after surgery your every plate contains nourishing foods like;

Meanwhile, processed foods should be avoided (especially processed meats which are type 1 carcinogens). Dairy products can also exacerbate post-surgical constipation and should be phased in gradually.

Can Complications Arise From A Breast Implant Removal?

As with any surgical procedure, there is always a low risk of complications. Complication rates for breast implant removals are generally less than 1%. Nonetheless, be wary of any surgeon who tells you that there is no risk entailed in a breast implant removal.

Some complications that may arise include;

Is There Anything I Can Do To Reduce The Risk Of Complications?

Absolutely! The most important thing you can do to avoid complications is to follow your surgeon’s personalized advice post-surgery. It’s absolutely imperative that you follow your surgeon’s instructions following your procedure as this will go a long way towards reducing your risk of complication and maximize your chances of getting the desired cosmetic results.

For example, you will likely be asked to wrap your chest wall for a week or so after your surgery to keep the tissue compressed. This is an extremely important step as keeping the affected tissues compressed will help your new body shape to heal properly, in a smooth and even way.

It’s also very important to ensure that you avoid stress and strain as mentioned above and maintain a clean, healthy diet and a relaxed lifestyle.

Why You Can Trust Doctor Nir

Entrusting a surgeon with your breast implant removal procedure is not a decision to be made lightly. We’ve seen how important aftercare and the right personalized post-operative instructions are in facilitating better and faster healing. Doctor Nir and his support team are dedicated to providing the personal touch as well as a combination of outstanding surgical talent and cutting-edge technology.

Doctor Nir MD FACS is a Board Certified Cosmetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgeon with almost 20 years of experience in Aesthetic Surgery of the Face, Body, and Breasts. His meticulous approach, passion for perfection and genuine care for all of his patients have built a thriving medical practice.

If you’re ready to talk to us about a breast implant removal procedure call us today on 561-899-8118, or you can click here to get in touch with us digitally.