Breast Implant Removal

For various reasons, some women decide that they no longer want breast implants and opt for breast implant removal.

Breast implant removal surgery usually takes about an hour to perform. It’s typically done using intravenous sedation, but sometimes removal can be done under local anesthesia in a procedure that takes only thirty minutes. Breast implants are usually removed through the same incisions that were used for your breast augmentation surgery. If you have saline implants, your surgeon may deflate them before removal.

Usually, it is not necessary to remove the capsule, making this a straightforward procedure. However, in some cases, the capsule may also be removed. This procedure is called a capsulectomy. It will be performed if the existing implant was silicone gel and was ruptured prior to the removal, or if there are calcified scars around the implant.

If you are not replacing the breast implants, the pocket where your original implants sat will seal with time.

If you are interested in maintaining some volume after breast implant removal, a fat transfer may be an option for some women. Fat transfer uses liposuction to take fat from another part of your body and then is injected into your breasts. A fat transfer may not give you full volume as before with the breast implant but it can help improve volume.

Risks and Complications of Breast Implant Removal

All surgeries have risks—including breast implant removal. Risks include:

• Breast sagging
• Loose skin
• Infection
• Scarring

Breast Implant Removal Recovery

Recovery is easy and frequently does not require any time off work.

For more information about breast implant removal in Northern Virginia, contact us online to request a consultation at Plastic Surgery Services of Fredericksburg.  Or you can call our office at 540-371-7730 and one of our knowledgeable staff members will be happy to help you.