Breast implant explantation, or removal surgery, is sought for various reasons, including a desire for a change in appearance, complications like capsular contracture, or concerns about systemic health effects. The decision to remove implants is often a step toward embracing a natural body shape or resolving medical issues. Understanding the changes that follow this procedure is important for setting realistic expectations about the post-removal body. This experience includes a surgical recovery period, predictable long-term physical changes, potential corrective interventions, and systemic effects on overall health.
The Immediate Post-Operative Recovery
The acute recovery phase immediately following implant removal typically lasts one to two weeks, focusing on managing discomfort and swelling. Surgeons commonly prescribe pain medication to manage soreness in the breast and underarm areas. Patients are instructed to wear a specialized surgical bra or compression garment for several weeks to support healing tissues and reduce fluid accumulation.
Thin plastic drains are commonly placed beneath the skin for a few days to prevent the build-up of blood or fluid, and the surgeon removes them within the first week. Physical activity must be significantly limited during this time. Patients must strictly avoid heavy lifting or strenuous exercise for at least two to four weeks to protect incision sites and ensure proper healing. The breasts will initially appear bruised, swollen, and possibly distorted, but this is a temporary state.
Long-Term Aesthetic and Physical Changes
Once acute swelling subsides over the first few months, the breast tissue settles, revealing long-term aesthetic changes. The most significant physical reality after explantation is the loss of volume, which can leave the breasts with a flattened or deflated appearance, especially for individuals with less natural breast tissue. Since the surrounding skin and tissue were stretched to accommodate the implant volume, they may not fully contract or “rebound” to their original size and shape.
This stretching often leads to ptosis, or sagging, where the breast sits lower on the chest wall. The degree of skin laxity and subsequent sagging is influenced by the size of the original implant, the length of time it was in place, and the patient’s age and natural skin elasticity. Older skin, which produces less collagen and elastin, may show more noticeable looseness or wrinkling. Scars from the explantation will be present, often following the lines of the original augmentation incision, and they will mature and fade over many months.
Corrective Options for Restoring Shape
Since long-term aesthetic changes often result in a deflated appearance and significant sagging, many individuals choose secondary surgical procedures to improve breast contour. A mastopexy, commonly known as a breast lift, is frequently performed to address excess skin and reposition the remaining tissue. This procedure removes the loose skin envelope, reshapes the natural breast tissue, and repositions the nipple and areola complex to a higher position.
Fat Grafting
Another option is fat grafting, or lipoaugmentation, which uses the patient’s own fat harvested from other areas of the body, such as the abdomen or thighs. This purified fat is then injected into the breasts to restore some lost volume, particularly in the upper portion, and to smooth out contour irregularities. A lift or fat grafting can be performed concurrently with implant removal or at a later, “staged” date after the tissue has had time to settle, which typically takes several months.
Systemic Effects and Symptom Resolution
Many patients seek explantation due to systemic symptoms attributed to their implants, often referred to as Breast Implant Illness (BII). These symptoms can include chronic fatigue, joint pain, cognitive difficulties like “brain fog,” and various inflammatory manifestations. While BII is not an official medical diagnosis, prospective research indicates that explantation can lead to significant improvement in these systemic complaints.
Studies show that a large majority of patients who report these symptoms experience at least partial improvement in their health within a year following implant removal. A notable decrease in anxiety, sleep disturbances, and fatigue has been observed in patients due to BII-related concerns. Although improvement is common, some symptoms may linger for months as the body resolves long-standing inflammation or hormonal imbalances.