Breast Implant Removal: A New Way of Thinking About the Breasts
After years in which larger breasts and more noticeable results predominated, some patients are now looking to reduce breast volume, improve comfort, and achieve a more natural result. This trend may lead them to consider procedures such as breast implant removal, also known as explant surgery, or replacement with smaller implants.
This change is particularly relevant in secondary breast surgery. What a woman wanted when she decided to have breast implants 15 or 20 years ago may no longer reflect what she wants today.
Her body has changed, and her priorities, lifestyle, and the way she wants to look may also have changed.
Therefore, when we assess breast implant removal or replacement, we do not focus solely on removing or replacing the implants. We evaluate the condition of the breasts, skin, and tissues to determine which approach may provide a balanced and natural result.
The question is therefore broader:
What kind of breasts make sense for this woman today?
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What Is Breast Implant Removal?
Breast implant removal is the surgical procedure through which we remove breast implants. In certain cases, it may also be necessary to remove the capsule that has formed around the implant or any associated inflamed tissue.
This procedure may be considered when:
- The implants cause discomfort
- The implants are not well tolerated
- The implants present some type of alteration
- It is simply time to consider replacing or permanently removing them
What Happens During the Initial Consultation?
The initial consultation is essential for making an accurate diagnosis and determining which option may be most appropriate in each case.
We begin by taking a detailed medical history and examining the breasts to assess both the condition of the implants and how the tissues have changed over time. In most cases, we complete this assessment with an imaging test, such as an ultrasound or MRI scan.
Based on this diagnosis, we can consider several options:
- Permanently removing the implants
- Replacing them with new implants
- Performing implant removal combined with fat grafting using the patient’s own fat
- Combining different breast-remodelling techniques
The objective is not simply to decide what to do with the implants, but to assess what the breasts are like today and what result the patient is currently seeking.
Why Are Breast Implants Removed?
Breast implants should not necessarily be regarded as lifetime devices. For this reason, at Clínica Planas, we believe that follow-up care for a patient with breast implants begins at the time of surgery and should continue over the years.
To provide this care, we have our Breast Implant Follow-Up Unit, known as USIM, which was created specifically to offer personalized monitoring for patients with breast implants and support them throughout their journey.
This follow-up allows us to regularly assess both the condition of the implants and any changes that may occur in the breasts over time. Although most patients do not experience complications, certain issues may arise, including:
- Implant rupture
- Seroma
- Capsular contracture
Some of these may occur without any noticeable symptoms.
Do Breast Implants Have to Be Replaced?
Breast implants require medical monitoring over time because changes may occur in both the implants themselves and the capsule surrounding them, even in the absence of symptoms.
After 10 years, we consider it especially important to increase the frequency of this follow-up. However, this does not mean that the implants must automatically be removed or replaced once they reach this age.
The objective is to assess:
- The overall condition of the implants
- How the breasts have changed over time
- Each patient’s individual circumstances
The aim is to decide together whether the most appropriate option is to keep the implants, replace them, or permanently remove them.
This means that potential implant removal is not approached as an isolated decision, but as part of continuous, personalized medical monitoring that begins on the first day.
Breast Implant Removal After a Few Months: When Is It Necessary?
The need to remove implants only a few months after breast surgery is uncommon.
However, removal may be necessary if certain complications occur, such as:
- A significant inflammatory reaction
- Severe capsular contracture
- Infection
In these situations, removing the implants may form part of the recommended treatment.
What Does Secondary Breast Surgery Involve?
We refer to secondary breast surgery when we perform a new procedure on breasts that have previously undergone surgery.
It may be necessary because the result of the first surgery no longer meets the patient’s needs or because a subsequent circumstance—such as a complication, trauma, infection, or certain medical conditions—requires further surgery.
In some cases, the aim is not simply to correct a previous procedure, but to fully reshape or reconstruct the breasts to restore their form and improve the patient’s quality of life.
Breast Implant Removal and Permanent Explantation
We are seeing an increasing number of women who decide to permanently remove their implants after having them for many years.
There is an important reason for this: implants are not the only things that age. The body changes, and priorities change as well.
A woman who wanted a particular breast volume 15 or 20 years ago may now be at a completely different stage in her life. Her breasts have changed, her body has evolved, and she may now value comfort, a smaller breast volume, or simply no longer wish to have implants.
Therefore, when the time comes to consider secondary breast surgery, many patients are not looking to recover exactly the same breasts they had years ago.
They want breasts that make sense for the women they are today.
Replacing Breast Implants With New Implants
For women who wish to continue having implants, implant replacement may be an option.
However, after 10 or 15 years, we rarely encounter exactly the same breasts that were originally operated on. The tissues have aged, the breasts may have descended to some extent, and changes in volume may have occurred due to weight fluctuations and the passage of time.
Therefore, secondary surgery does not necessarily involve simply removing one implant and inserting another.
We must first assess what the breasts are like today and then decide what they need.
Depending on the individual case, we may:
- Consider a breast lift
- Use the patient’s own fat
- Perform hybrid breast augmentation
The key is to base the procedure not on the previous implant, but on the patient’s current anatomy and needs.
The Procedure: What Happens After Breast Implants Are Removed?
The result after breast implant removal depends on several factors:
- The type of implant
- How long the implants have been in place
- Their condition
- The characteristics of the capsule
- Most importantly, how the patient’s tissues have changed over time
Over time, we may encounter:
- Deteriorated implants
- Changes to the capsule
- Alterations in the consistency and characteristics of older implants
Therefore, before determining what the breasts will look like after implant removal, we assess both the implants and the tissues surrounding them. Based on this diagnosis, we can plan the procedure that will reshape the breasts in the most appropriate way for each patient.
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Fat Cryopreservation and Fat Grafting After Breast Implant Removal
In certain cases, we can incorporate the cryopreservation of the patient’s own fat into the planning of breast implant removal with fat grafting, particularly when the aim is to restore some of the breast volume after removing the implants.
When we remove a moderate- or large-volume breast implant, the resulting loss of volume can be partially compensated for through breast fat grafting or the transfer of the patient’s own fat to the breasts.
However, the amount of fat that can be safely transferred and successfully integrated during a single procedure is limited. For this reason, some patients may require a second or even a third session.
During breast implant removal surgery, we can obtain fat from other areas of the patient’s body through liposuction. Some of this fat can be used during the same procedure to reshape the breasts, improve their contour, and naturally restore volume.
The remaining fat can be cryopreserved at a specialized tissue bank for use in future sessions. If, several months later, we consider another fat-grafting procedure appropriate to further adjust the volume or shape of the breasts, we can use the previously harvested fat without performing another liposuction procedure.
This approach allows us to understand breast implant removal as more than simply removing the implants. We can plan the progressive remodelling of the breasts using the patient’s own fat, adapting each stage to her anatomy, progress, and objectives.
What Are the Postoperative Period and Recovery Like After Breast Implant Removal or Replacement?
In general, the postoperative period is usually straightforward. The patient may remain at the clinic for a few hours or, in certain cases, stay overnight and return home the following day.
When there is a significant inflammatory process, drains may need to remain in place for several days.
Recovery will depend on the type of procedure performed, as implant removal alone does not necessarily involve the same postoperative process as surgery combined with a breast lift, fat grafting, or other complementary techniques.
Postoperative Care for a Safe and Speedy Recovery
Postoperative care will depend on the technique used.
A postoperative bra may be indicated after certain procedures. However, when extensive fat grafting has been performed, we may avoid excessive compression of the treated area.
During the first few weeks, patients will also need to limit intense physical activity and avoid strength exercises. They must also follow the medical team’s instructions regarding sun exposure and scar care.
We adapt the postoperative protocol to the procedure performed and each patient’s progress.
Cost of Breast Implant Removal
When we search Google or ask tools such as ChatGPT about the cost of breast implant removal, how much it costs to remove breast implants, or the price of secondary breast surgery, we may find a wide range of figures and estimates.
However, the cost of breast implant removal should not be established without first performing an individualized assessment and diagnosis, because not all explant procedures are the same and not all breasts require the same approach.
Simply removing the implants is not the same as combining implant removal with a breast lift to reposition the breasts, fat grafting using the patient’s own fat to restore or redistribute volume, or other procedures designed to reshape the breasts following removal.
For this reason, at Clínica Planas, the cost of breast implant removal is determined individually following an initial medical assessment in which we evaluate:
- The condition of the implants
- The tissues and anatomy
- The patient’s objectives
This allows us to determine the most appropriate technique or combination of techniques and, based on this diagnosis, prepare a personalized quotation for the patient.
Breast Implant Illness (BII): Symptoms Associated With Breast Implants
Some patients with breast implants attend a consultation because they experience systemic symptoms such as fatigue, general discomfort, or muscle and joint pain, and wonder whether these symptoms could be related to their implants.
This group of symptoms is commonly known as Breast Implant Illness (BII). However, a causal relationship between these symptoms and breast implants has not currently been fully established.
Therefore, when Breast Implant Illness is suspected, an individualized medical assessment is essential. The presence of these symptoms does not necessarily mean that they are caused by the implants. Other possible causes should therefore be investigated before establishing a connection with the implants.
For patients considering breast implant removal or explant surgery because of these symptoms, the decision must be made individually. Each case should be assessed with particular caution, avoiding attributing causal relationships to the implants that cannot be demonstrated.
F.A.Q.
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How Many Days of Recovery Will I Need After Breast Implant Removal?
Patients usually remain in the hospital for a few hours or overnight.
We then recommend approximately four or five days of rest before gradually returning to their normal activities.
The recovery period will also depend on any additional procedures performed alongside the implant removal. -
What Does a Breast Implant Removal Scar Look Like?
Whenever possible, we use the scar from the previous surgery to remove the implants, avoiding the creation of new scars.
If a breast lift is also required, the scar pattern will depend on the technique needed to reshape the breasts. -
Will My Breasts Sag After Implant Removal?
When an implant is removed, the volume it previously provided disappears. We must therefore assess how the tissues will look and whether the breasts need to be reshaped.
In certain cases, we can restore some of this volume using the patient’s own fat. In others, additional techniques may be necessary, depending on the patient’s anatomy and the desired result. -
Breast Implant Removal vs. Implant Replacement: Which Option Is Best for Me?
There is no single option that is best for every patient.
Some women wish to maintain a similar breast volume and prefer to replace their implants. Others reach a stage in their lives when they prioritize smaller breasts, greater comfort, or the possibility of permanently living without implants.
The decision should be based on the current condition of the breasts, but also on something equally important: what the patient wants for her body today.