How Long Does Breast Implant Removal Take?
Posted on March 1, 2024
Your timeline for breast explant, or breast implant removal surgery, depends on the reason for the procedure and your surgeon’s availability. Women tend to replace their breast implants every 10 to 15 years, but some may need them removed or replaced due to an implant rupture or a hardening of the scar tissue around the implant (capsular contracture). Other women may desire to remove them for personal reasons or because they suspect they have symptoms of breast implant illness. Dr. David Rankin and Dr. Dev Vibhakar at Aqua Plastic Surgery offer breast explant and have helped many women remove or replace their breast implants.
Time From Your Consultation to Your Procedure
Breast explant starts with a consultation with one of our board-certified plastic surgeons specializing in breast implant removal to discuss your concerns and goals for your breasts. Once you decide to move forward with the procedure, we can schedule your surgery. The timeline between these appointments varies between weeks or months depending on the availability of scheduling, time of year, and your own scheduling conflicts, such as a wedding or graduation.
Surgeons in high demand tend to have full schedules but are well worth the wait. However, you may have more opportunities in winter when surgeons may have more availability.
The Breast Implant Removal Procedure
Breast explant requires general anesthesia and may take up to two to three hours, depending on the patient and their breast concerns. The procedure starts with incisions made under the breast in the natural crease (inframammary fold) or around the darker pigment of the nipple (areola). Dr. Rankin or Dr. Dev then removes the breast implant and may also remove scar tissue.
Some patients have a simultaneous breast lift to remove excess skin and reshape the glandular tissue for firmer, perkier breasts. The procedure may take longer if you combine breast implant removal with breast lift.
Recovery Timeline for Breast Implant Removal
Initial recovery after breast implant removal is about two weeks, during which time you may need to limit driving and take 10 to 14 days off work. You must avoid strenuous activities and lifting heavy objects for up to six weeks or longer to avoid putting stress on your chest and jeopardizing your results.
Women seeking breast implant removal to alleviate breast implant illness may experience improved symptoms around three months after surgery. However, breast implant illness is not considered a medical diagnosis and is poorly understood with limited research. The cluster of symptoms associated with the unique condition may present differently in each patient, such as cognitive symptoms, joint pain, anxiety, and fatigue.
Capsular contracture symptoms, such as breast pain or tightening sensations, should improve shortly after breast implant removal. However, this may be masked by soreness and swelling from the breast explant surgery.
If you’re interested in breast implant removal, contact our experienced plastic surgeons at Aqua Plastic Surgery. our offices in Florida at (561) 776-2830 for our Jupiter location or (305) 918-1750 for our Miami location.
