What Is Breast Explant Surgery?

There are many common reasons women get breast implants, but people rarely speak about the reasons why women may want or need to get their implants removed. The surgery for breast implant removal is called breast explant surgery, and it’s more common than you might initially think. In this article, we will discuss what breast explant surgery is, the reasons for breast explant surgery, and how the process works. Read more about our breast implant removal options to see how we approach the procedure.

What is breast explant surgery?

 Breast explant surgery consists of removing breast implants after they have been surgically implanted into the breasts. Breast explant surgery should be performed by a plastic surgeon who is specially trained and has experience in breast explant surgery. The main goal of breast implant removal surgery is to remove breast implants from breast augmentation or breast reconstruction surgeries. During these procedures, the surgeon may also remove silicone material from implant leaks and the breast capsule, which refers to scar tissue that may form around a breast implant. 

Reasons for Breast Implant Removal

There are many reasons a woman may want or need to have her breast implants removed. 

1. Breast implants do not work for life, and it’s crucial to have them exchanged or removed altogether every 10-15 years or so.
2. In rare cases, women may develop a reaction to the implant that has been dubbed “breast implant illness,” which can pose a variety of symptoms including fatigue, chest pain, hair loss, headaches, chills, chronic pain, rash, anxiety, brain fog, sleep disturbance, neurologic issues and hormonal that may be connected to their body’s reaction to the implant.
3. Capsular contracture, which occurs when the scar tissue or capsule that normally forms around the implant tightens and squeezes the implant.
4. Sometimes with silicone implants, the outer shell of the implant can rupture, causing the silicone to leak into the body, which can pose health issues. 
5. Some women decide that they no longer want breast implants, for personal or other reasons.