Breast surgery is one of the most popular types of surgery in the world and there are many women out there that are more than happy with their breast implants. However, in recent years there has been an increase in breast implant removal surgery (also known as explantation surgery). In this article we will explain why women are getting this surgery, what to expect and some of the pros and cons of this surgery.
Why Do Women Want Breast Implant Removal Surgery?
There are 3 main reasons why women decide to get breast implant removal surgery.
Capsular Contracture: This is the most common reason why women get their implants removed. This is where the scar tissue from the surgery goes hard around the implant which can cause pain and disfiguration of the breast. Many women get them removed to replace but others get their implants removed.
Breast Implant Illness: This illness is very rare and some believe that it’s not real but there are some cases where people start to feel different and have the following symptoms.
- Pain
- Swelling
- Tightness
- Changes to Breast Shape and Position
Patient Preference: Some women decide that their old implants don’t match their body or lifestyle anymore so they get them removed.
Pro’s of Breast Implant Removal Surgery:
No More Pain – If implants have been in for a long time this can affect shoulders back and neck pain due to the extra weight on the chest. Once removed,the chest will become lighter and will help to reduce the pain.
No Fear Of Ruptures – Due to breast implants not meaning to last a lifetime, they can sometimes rupture. This could be due to them being old, or they have been through extreme pressure which can also cause the implants to rupture. Another way in which they can rupture is from capsular contracture.
Short Recovery – If the decision has been made that the implants need to be removed for good, then the good news is that the recovery time is nowhere near as long as the surgery putting them in. Recovery lasts around 2 weeks so the patient won’t have to book a lot of time off with work.
Disadvantages Of Surgery:
Sagging or Loose Skin- Sagging is a common finding when breast implants have been removed. This all depends on how long the patient has had them in, elasticity of the skin and also the gap between the original size and the implant size. An example of this would be if the patient went from a B cup to a DD, there will be more sagging due to the added size.
Mastectomy – If the breast implant has ruptured and there has been leakage, the surgeon will have to remove the implant as well as the tissue that has been contaminated by the gel. Depending on how much the implant has leaked, it may look like the patient has had a mastectomy.
More Scarring – Due to there being another surgery there will always be scarring from it, surgeons will usually use the original entry point so no extra scarring. If the implants have been in for a long time then the scars may be more visible and will take longer to recover.
There are many benefits and disadvantages of having breast implant removal surgery so it’s important to discuss this with the surgeon and for the patient to make their own decision as this is their body.