A woman’s decision to have her breast implants removed to restore volume and shape before surgery can be for a variety of reasons. Such a decision may be due to a poorly performed operation or failure to obtain the expected results. In this situation, if the intervention was recent, breast implants can be removed through the incision through which they were inserted, and the breasts can be restored to their original parameters. Below we will look at the specifics of flat after breast implant removal and the overall healing path.
Reasons for removing breast implants: the beginning of explant journey
Women seek breast implant removal, a procedure also known as breast implant explantation, for many reasons, including:
- sagging or too heavy breasts;
- feeling that breast implants no longer suit your body type;
- significant change in weight.
Additionally, some patients who have undergone breast augmentation or reconstruction surgery have their implants removed due to the following:
- deflation or rupture;
- capsular contracture;
- silicone granulomas;
- seroma formation.
It often happens that patients cannot adapt to a new volume or new shape of the breast. In these cases, if the operation also took place not long ago, the breast implants can be removed through the same incision without additional manipulation.
Removal and recovery procedure after surgery
Breast implant removal (with or without a breast lift) is an outpatient surgical procedure in which the patient can return home the same day to continue recovery. Most patients can resume normal activities and stop taking prescribed pain medications within a few days; however, strenuous exercise is usually recommended to be avoided for 4-6 weeks.
- As for side effects flat after breast implant removal, when implants are removed, a feeling of internal emptiness is felt in the corresponding area due to the effect of stretching the skin over a long period of time. This is why in some cases breast lift surgery is performed.
- After breast implant removal surgery, patients will experience some swelling for several weeks. Many patients wear a surgical bra or sports bra to reduce fluffing after explant procedure.
- Stitches usually dissolve and do not usually need to be removed.
In addition to removing breast implants, explantation surgery involves performing additional procedures to remove the layer of scar tissue that forms around the implants, also known as the capsule, and any allograft (the soft tissue that holds the implant in place). If mold, bacteria, or fungi develop between the breast implant and the capsule, a layer, also called biofilm, will form between the breast implant and the capsule.
Plastic surgeons almost always send the capsule, along with other removed tissue or fluids and chest swab samples, to a laboratory for examination and analysis. These tests look for signs of cancer and abnormal cell formation, as well as bacteria, fungi, inflammatory substances and foreign materials such as silicone and polyurethane.
After surgery, it is important to follow your plastic surgeon’s recovery instructions:
- properly handle cuts;
- take medications prescribed by a doctor;
- avoid stress and injury to the area where the operation was performed.
If breast augmentation surgery has been done recently, it is likely that the breasts will return to their original shape and size. The surgeon will place surgical drains under the skin to remove excess fluid or blood that may take a few days to appear. Some surgeons recommend wearing a support bra for the first few weeks after surgery to reduce breast fluffing after explant procedure.
Plenty of women are trying to find out: how to tighten skin after breast implant removal? After removing the implant, surgeons may perform several breast lift procedures to create a beautiful breast shape. It is also necessary to take into account that the mammary gland also increases. The operation is carried out taking into account the individual anatomical characteristics of the woman and wishes regarding the aesthetic appearance of the breast.
