Breast Implant Removal

Breast implant removal requires the removal of implants from patients who have undergone breast augmentation in the past. It is a surgical procedure carried out by specialists under general anaesthesia and requires a short hospital stay in all cases. The procedure may be purely cosmetic, but can also be rendered necessary by the failure of existing implants. Along with the removal of those implants, the process will often also feature cosmetic procedures to ensure an attractive final breast shape.

How Does a Breast Implant Removal Work?

• The first stage of an implant removal is the assessment phase. If you desire cosmetic surgery, you will have the opportunity to discuss your options with a cosmetic surgeon, who will assess factors such as lifestyle and expected outcomes and recommend the appropriate procedure. If a rupture is suspected, testing must be carried out to ascertain how far the fluid has spread in the breast tissue.

• If the assessment result dictates that a simple breast implant removal is the right course of action, surgery will be booked. In the run-up to your admission, doctors will advise that you abstain from alcohol, tobacco and certain medication as well as follow a healthy diet.

• The surgery itself begins with the administration of an anaesthetic. Then, your cosmetic surgeon will make an incision along the inframammary fold of your breast or around the areola (the area surrounding the nipple).

• After making the incision, surgeons can simply remove implants from their current location. They can then apply appropriate dressings to the incision site.

However, in many cases, the removal procedure will be followed by a breast uplift. This removes any excess skin and reshapes the breasts, improving their firmness. An uplift may require additional incisions but may be carried out at the same time as your implant removal.

Are There Different Types of Breast Implant Removal?

As noted above, breast implant removals vary depending on whether extra cosmetic surgery is required. This is not the case with all patients, and the extent of the reshaping is often optional. Not all patients feel the need for an uplift, which often necessitates additional incisions, potentially extending the recovery time.

In other cases, women decide to have a breast implant removal followed by an additional augmentation to achieve the correct breast size. Additionally, there may be cases where implant fluid has leaked, leading to the need for more extensive surgery. In these cases, hospital admissions may be longer, and more specialist surgeons will be involved. If this is required, it will be made clear at the start of the implant removal process.

What Should I Expect?

In the vast majority of cases, women undergoing breast implant removal procedures can expect a hassle-free transition to a smaller breast size within months of surgery. The procedure is generally free of complications, and the results very closely resemble expected outcomes, leading to high levels of patient satisfaction.

Expect a period of recovery following surgery, as with any cosmetic procedure. This will involve a few weeks of pain and general discomfort around the incision sites. There will also be a need to manage dressings and for wound cleaning to minimise the risk of infection. However, patients resume full mobility very soon after surgery.

While your breasts recover from surgery, their shape will change. This is a natural aspect of implant removal, so don't expect to see their final shape straight after surgery. The end results will only become apparent a few months afterwards. If you have any doubts about the success of the procedure, scheduling follow-up appointments with your cosmetic surgeon is a good idea as additional corrective procedures can resolve almost any issues.