Breast Implant Removal - What to Know Before Surgery

Breast implants are a popular breast augmentation choice in the United States. Some patients have silicone breast implants or saline breast implants placed in the body in order to gain a larger size and shape to the breasts. Other patients have breast implants placed in the body as part of breast reconstruction surgery after undergoing a mastectomy due to breast cancer. However, there are times when patients are not happy with the results they gained after the implants are put in place so they decide to have breast implant removal surgery. Before we review some of the items patients should know before they have surgery to remove their breast implants, Cosmetic Town TV has inside information about the procedure from Jed Horowitz, MD from Newport Beach, CA:

Breast Implant Removal – Reasons They are Removed

It is important for patients to be educated about the reasons why breast implants might need to be removed. Some of the reasons could be medical in nature while others might be of a more personal nature to the person having the procedure. Here are some common reasons for breast implant removal:

• Medical Reasons/Health Reasons – There are times when patients can experience an infection after breast implants are placed in the body. The implants also have a chance of leaking or rupturing at some point. They can even cause a person to experience pain in the back or shoulders if they are too large or heavy.
• Change in Breast Size Preference – While the size of the breast implants when they are placed in the body might seem like the ideal choice at the time, the breast size preference of a person can change as they get older. They might want breasts that are larger or smaller in size or they simply might not want to have breast implants at all. As the self-image of a person changes, their preference when it comes to their breast implants can often change as well.
• Capsular Contracture – This is one of the most common issues that occurs after a person receives breast implants. Capsular contracture happens when the body creates too much internal scar tissue and a “capsule” of scar tissue is formed  It can start to contact, or constrict, as time passes which can make the breast implants feel painful or uncomfortable in the body.

Breast Implant Removal – Psychological Changes to the Body

Before someone makes the decision to remove their breast implants, they should understand that the changes are not simply physical in nature. There are also changes that can be made to the emotional well-being of a person and these changes should be discussed in advance with a doctor. Here are some of the psychological changes that can result from the removal of breast implants:

• Body Image – If the breast implants are permanently removed, the breasts can start to have a look that is droopy and deformed. While the skin of the breasts will begin to shrink and the breast tissue will start to expand again over the following weeks and months, the new appearance can be shocking to the patient immediately after the procedure. Plus, there are some patients who have had breast implants for a long time which means they are not used to their physical appearance featuring smaller breasts.
• Self-Image – Once the breast implants are removed, the patient will likely feel different about their appearance. They might also be curious or worried about what others think of their appearance. While breast implant removal can often help a person feel more comfortable in their own body, there is also the chance that they can be unsure about their new appearance and have issues with their self-image.
• Feelings/Sensations of the Breasts – One of the immediate effects that can happen after the removal of the implants is a change in the feeling and/or sensation of the breasts. There are some patients who do not experience any type of changes in the sensation of the treated area after the implants are removed while others can experience numbness, itchiness, or discomfort as well as a greater or reduced amount of sensitivity to the breasts.
• Changes in Their Mood – One of the most common feelings patients have after their procedure is a feeling of relief. It can often feel like a great weight or burden has been removed from their body since they often no longer experience pain and discomfort due to the size or weight of the breasts. Patients will often be happy to discover a feeling of lightness and relief after their implants are removed from the body.

Patients who are aware of the possible changes in their self-image and body sensations are often very prepared for the changes that will happen to them after the surgery. They can also address any concerns they have about the procedure with their doctor of choice. The doctor can set realistic expectations for both the recovery period and the final results so the patient will not be surprised by the changes that occur after breast implant removal surgery.

- MA