Why do women remove their breast implants?
What is an explantation?
You’ve heard the term more and more lately but what is an explantation? Explantation is a procedure to remove breast implants. A breast augmentation places saline or gummy bear silicone implants in the breast and an explantation removes them. There are many reasons women choose to remove their breast implants and not replace them with new implants. The most common reason we hear is that the size of the implants just doesn’t match a woman’s body or lifestyle any longer.
Breast implants are not life-time devices and will need to be replaced at some point and often a few times during a woman’s life. The average age of the implants that Dr. Alexander removes is approximately 15 years. Once an implant is over 10 years old, it’s time to start thinking about when to replace or remove your implants. When choosing removal, we hear “I’m just done with them”. Typically there aren’t any issues with their implants but a woman just knows what’s best for her health, her lifestyle and her body.
Choosing a breast lift at the time explantation
Women choose to remove their breast implants by a procedure called explantation. Many women choose a breast lift mastopexy at the same time to achieve more youthful breasts
Women can choose an explantation (removal) only or choose to have a breast lift during the same surgery. A mastopexy is most commonly called a breast lift. There are several types of breast lifts but a full breast lift or standard mastopexy is the most popular at the time of an explantation.
When implants have been placed in the breast, the skin stretches to accommodate the size of the implants. When the implants are removed, there is often loose, extra skin that can hang. There are many factors that contribute to the amount of loose skin; weight changes, the size of the breast implants, skin elasticity, pregnancies and breast feeding.
A breast lift can remove extra skin and lift the breasts and nipples to a more youthful position. The results of an explantation with a breast lift is often a smaller, lifted and more compact breast.
Why is the experience of the surgeon important?
Both of these procedures are quite technical and the skill and experience of the plastic surgeon is important. Dr. Alexander gently removes breast implants, checks the capsule and scar tissue around the implant to see if it needs to be removed and then spends hours performing the breast lift. He personally performs all the breast lift suturing (many surgeons have assistants do their suturing) and uses specialized techniques to minimize scarring.
Dr. Alexander helps you find the best surgical option by listening to your goals, explaining the procedures in depth and then helping to create a personalized surgical plan. With over 25 years of experience performing explantation and breast lift surgeries, Dr. Alexander is the top plastic surgeon in Las Vegas for these procedures. Compassion and experience really do matter when choosing the best surgeon.
Call or contact Dr. Alexander’s caring staff for more information about breast implant removal (explantation) and breast lift (mastopexy) surgery.
