Breast implant removal cosmetic surgery is an option for women who develop complications with the implants, are dissatisfied with the results of breast augmentation, or have changed aesthetic needs at some point after the primary procedure.
Breast implant removal can be relatively more complicated than the primary augmentation procedure or breast replacement surgery. Therefore, the patient should choose a fully trained and experienced plastic surgeon for this procedure. Board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Hisham Seify provides breast implant removal surgery to patients in Newport Beach, Orange County, CA, and surrounding areas.
What to Expect
Prior to breast implant removal plastic surgery, the surgeon will assess the cause of implant complications and prepare a customized surgical plan. In many cases, the surgeon may recommend the woman to go for breast lift surgery along with implant removal. Particularly, in cases where the implants have caused the breast skin to stretch over a long period of time, breast lift can help to restore firmer, younger looking breasts.
Breast implant removal is performed as an outpatient procedure with the patient under general anesthesia or IV sedation. To access the implant, the surgeon will try to make an incision in the same place where the original incisions were made. This will minimize fresh scarring. Scar tissue is often extracted along with the removal of implants. Leading cosmetic surgeon Dr. Seify receives patients from Newport Beach, Orange County, CA, and nearby locations.
Removal of Saline Implants
Before the surgery, the existing implant and the surrounding tissue will be closely examined for swelling, infection, rupture or leakage. Saline implants contain a saline solution that is completely safe for the body. Therefore, the surgeon may deflate the implant before removing it. This will make the procedure less invasive.
After the implant has been taken out, the surgeon will usually remove scar tissue that has arises from the previous surgery. If the patient wants replacement with new implants, the procedure will be performed at the same time. In other cases, breast lift may also be performed along with the removal procedure. Removal of saline implants will usually take less than one hour, but the patient will have to stay at the surgery center for a few hours for observation.
Removal of Silicone Implants
In case of silicone implant removal, the surgeon will first manually examine the implant for any signs of damage or rupture before removing it. This will enable the surgeon to minimize any risks associated with the silicone implant removal. If the outer shell of the implant is foam covered or textured, the removal procedure may be slightly more complicated. In some cases, the surrounding tissue and muscle may also be taken out along with the implant.
Length of silicone implant removal surgery will depend on whether any other procedures such as scar revision, implant replacement, or breast lift are being performed at the same time. The size of the incision in case of silicone implant removal is relatively bigger than in the case of saline implants because no deflation of the implant is possible. Recovery in both saline and silicone implants removal may take about one week.