For many women, the choice to get breast implants was a serious one made to improve self-confidence, restore breast volume, or correct asymmetry. However, there may come a time when you need to remove or replace your breast implants. A procedure such as a breast implant removal at eSSe Plastic Surgery in Fort Lauderdale, FL can be tailored to help you achieve your aesthetic goals.
Just like your initial breast implant surgery, the recovery time for breast implant removal is generally six to eight weeks. During this time, you will have many of the same activity restrictions you had when you underwent your initial implant surgery, which means you may need to take time off of work, arrange for child care, or ask friends and family to help you with household chores for at least the first month. Your recovery will also include extensive aftercare directions.
The first few days after your removal surgery will be the most intense part of your recovery. During this time, you will need to take prescription medications that are prescribed to you to manage discomfort and follow guidelines on restricted activity, which means no lifting, vigorous exercise, or any other strenuous task. While you can walk around the house during the first 48 to 72 hours, it’s best to avoid any other activity for at least five to seven days.
During your initial recovery time, you also have expansive instructions on how to care for incisions, which will include directions on changing bandages, cleaning incisions, and the best way to sleep so you can maximize your recovery. It’s very important to avoid taking baths and hot showers, as well as activities such as swimming for at least two weeks since you will need to keep your incisions dry. You may have a follow-up appointment after the first two to three weeks.
Your long-term recovery will usually take about six weeks, although some patients may need up to eight weeks to fully recover. During the month after your surgery, you will generally need to follow directions such as avoiding lifting anything over 10 pounds, sleeping on your stomach, and potentially wearing compression bras to boost your recovery. Most people can go back to work before fully recovering from the surgery as long as they follow directions on restricted activities.
This procedure is considered a minor elective procedure, even though it does use invasive techniques and general anesthesia. In general, as a patient, the process for this procedure will be very similar to your initial breast and plant surgery. Usually, your surgery will be completed at a hospital or other outpatient surgical facility. The steps involved in this procedure include:
General anesthesia is the most common medication administered before an invasive surgery such as this one. However, based on your health and the medications you take, your plastic surgeon and anesthesiologist may recommend intravenous sedation instead. Because you are using a sedative for your surgery, you will need to fast at least eight to 10 hours before your procedure.
To remove breast implants, an incision is usually placed on the underside of the breast or around the areola, depending on the type of implant you have. Many techniques can be used to remove implants, so the specific techniques used to remove silicone and saline implants may be different. The placement of your implants will also influence the best method of completing this procedure.
The final step of this procedure is closing incisions. There are many ways to close incisions after plastic surgery, but for implant removal, incisions are usually closed with skin adhesive, surgical tape, or sutures. Usually, a drain is not necessary for this type of breast augmentation.
When you want to remove breast implants, you must be aware that the overall profile of your breast will dramatically change. Because many women may still want to have fuller or tighter breasts, it is common to combine implant removal surgery with other breast augmentation procedures. The two most common procedures that are combined with implant removal are:
Some women may want to pair implant removal with a breast lift. A breast lift is a common procedure that will remove excess skin from the breast to tighten breast tissue, which will restore the perkiness and youthful profile of the breast. Notably, a breast lift will not change the volume of the breast, although this procedure may be able to correct a moderate amount of asymmetry.
For women who are interested in increasing breast volume without using implants, it’s possible to have a simultaneous implant exchange with a fat transfer. This is another very common choice that can boost the breast profile without using silicone or saline implants. This procedure works by removing the breast implants and immediately injecting fat into the breasts to augment the volume, size, and shape of the breast.
A fat transfer harvests fat from another area of the body, usually the buttocks or the stomach. A fat transfer is performed with liposuction and a fat-purifying technique that allows your plastic surgeon to customize your procedure to your exact aesthetic goals. Using a fat transfer to replace breast implants may be ideal if you want fuller, natural-looking results.
Before you can schedule your breast implant removal procedure, you will need to attend a consultation with a plastic surgeon. The consultation will likely involve an examination of your breast implants and a discussion about why you want to remove these implants.
You may need to complete a mammogram or other imaging, along with lab tests. Some people may also need to revise medications or supplements they are currently taking to minimize interactions with general anesthesia or improve their recovery outlook.
There are several reasons women explore a procedure to remove implants. Ultimately, regardless of your motivation, your reasons for wanting to get rid of breast implants are valid. For some women, removing implants can be a way to restore natural self-confidence or can even be part of a psychological journey of self-love. The most common reasons to have breast implants removed include the following:
Both saline and silicone implants are designed to last for about 10 to 15 years, so there will come a time when you simply need to replace your old implants with new implants. If you are still interested in using saline or silicone implants to improve the volume or shape of your breasts, using removal surgery to replace old implants is ideal.
Sometimes, implants can be damaged or ruptured, either due to aging materials or from high-impact accidents such as car accidents. If you are experiencing a rupture in your breast implant, it’s important to remove or replace these implants as soon as possible. In particular, ruptured silicone implants can lead to hardened scar tissue that can cause a great amount of discomfort when left untreated.
Some women may want to remove breast implants simply to reduce breast size. For example, if you have experienced major changes in your body composition, it’s possible your current breast implants are too large for your body shape, so removing breast implants can refine your overall silhouette.
When you want to reduce your breast size by removing implants, you may also want to consider complementary treatments such as a breast lift, breast reduction to remove natural breast tissue, or other procedures to alter the profile of the breast.
Whether you want to remove or replace breast implants because you want a more natural look or because your current breast implants are too old, breast implant removal is a simple procedure with a short recovery time. Most people are fully recovered from this procedure in about six weeks. If you are interested in implant removal, get in touch with eSSe Plastic Surgery in Fort Lauderdale, FL to schedule your initial consultation today.
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