Breast Implant Removal or Explantation in Raleigh NC
A breast explantation is a secondary breast procedure that removes breast implants. Breast implant removal can be a choice for women because they simply don’t want implants anymore, or because over time their natural breast tissue has become fuller, and they don’t want the full look. Other women never really felt comfortable with implants and simply want to go back to where they were before having had breast augmentation surgery. Still others feel like breast implants have made them unwell or sick.
Some women elect to have an explantation because they’ve experienced implant complications. Others decide that they’re no longer happy with their breast aesthetics. Patients are always anxious about what they will look like without implants. But more often than not patients who have their implants removed look better after surgery than anticipated. In some situations a lift may be desired. Some patients can also benefit from fat grafting to the breasts if they wish.
In patients who wish to have breast explantation, I typically will remove the implants under local anesthesia. Recovery is very fast and relatively pain free. My patients are back to their usual activities right away. In women who have felt like they have carried around heavy implants, that may not be in proportion with the rest of their body, the immediate transformation and relieve is overwhelming. I am always proud to be part of that process. If removal of the capsule is necessary, that will be determined and discussed during the consultation process. That will often be the case on older gel implants that have burst. This will all be discussed in consultation My patient can then see how they feel and determine whether or not they would like a lift or fat grafting as a secondary procedure. For select patients, everything may be performed as a single stage.
I performed conservative breast augmentation for many years with many happy patients. I no longer perform this procedure. It is not because I feel that breast implants are inherently unsafe. It is simply that I enjoy other procedures more, and I am fortunate that in my busy practice, I can decide which procedures I want to specialize in and perform most frequently. I have also seen a significant shift in the desire of patients. I always was conservative with breast implants, but women today seem to be more interested in breast lifts, breast reductions, and breast explanations. There are all surgeries I enjoy performing, and procedures I perform very regularly.
Breast Implant Illness and Breast Explantation
If you are a woman who tells me she thinks that her breast implants may be making her sick, I will believe you. There is no definitive, objective test to determine if symptoms a woman is experiencing are caused by her breast implants. Diagnosis of Breast Implant Illness aka ‘BII’ is based on symptoms, and frankly on a woman; intuition and knowledge of her own body. I’ve had patients share with me that some physicians have been dismissive of their concerns when they describe symptoms that they feel may be caused by their breast implants. I promise you that this will not happen to you in my practice. It’s not a surprise to me that the removal of breast implants in some women who feel like their implants have made them sick provides experience relief, sometimes immediately. But it is important to understand that not all women who have their implants removed for this reason experience an improvement in their symptoms, and in these instances it is presumed that the symptoms are not related to the breast implants.
I do not believe that breast implants as a whole are dangerous. I am not a plastic surgeon who is trying to create a business based on the creation of fear of breast implants, and by cautioning all women to remove their breast implants. You should be aware that there are some plastic surgery practices that are essentially running a breast implant removal assembly line.
The solid silicone elastomer shell of breast implants (both silicone gel and saline implants) is what the body is in contact with postoperatively. That material is felt to biologically inert, and it is a component of many implanted medical devices including others used for plastic surgery and many used for orthopedic surgery. A systemic illness related to these other, non-breast implant devices containing the solid silicone elastomer has not been observed.
That being said, it is certainly possible that there are some patients who experience a systemic response to the silicone elastomer material and who experience symptoms related to that response. Unfortunately, there is no specific laboratory test or clinical finding that can confirm this diagnosis. So the evaluation and treatment of patients with BII is currently based on symptoms alone.
I feel strongly that a woman who wants her implants removed – for whatever reason – deserves to be listened to carefully, treated with respect, and should be offered breast implant removal if that is how she wishes to proceed.
