Breast Implant Removal Recovery - What's Involved?

While we would always encourage you to think of plastic surgery as a lifelong choice, you can opt to have breast implants removed. In fact, the general guide is to replace your implants every 10 – 15 years or so.

Breast implant removal is becoming increasingly popular, with UK practices seeing a UK-wide 79% increase in treatments between 2021 and 2022.

Why have breast implants removed?

Whilst many patients choose to have their implants removed and replaced, you can also opt to have them removed completely. There are many reasons for having your implants removed. Implants do have a shelf-life so will need to be replaced after a period of time. The general tipping point is 10 - 15 years so it’s worth considering having replacements fitted around this time.

Perhaps you’ve had your implants for many years and your body shape has changed and your old implants no longer suit you as well as they once did. If this is the case, your implants can be removed and replaced with implants that enhance the changed shape of your body.

Sometimes people decide that implants are simply no longer for them, so they want the implants removed for good. Again, this is not a problem.

What happens during breast implant removal?

You’ll need a general anaesthetic but then we’ll remove your implants, taking care to minimise scarring by making incisions in the same location as when your breast implants were fitted.

It’s not necessary to go back to your original surgeon for removal or replacement surgery. As specialists in breast augmentation and breast explant surgery, we can carry out your treatment regardless of where you had the implants fitted.

5 tips on recovering from breast implant removal

Recovering from breast implant removal is straight-forward for most people. You’ll be sore and bruised for a few weeks so it’s important to:

1. Take time off work and make yourself comfortable at home, getting plenty of sleep and taking it easy during the day. Rest and relaxation is the best path to recovery in the immediate aftermath of surgery.
2. Avoid things like cleaning and lifting whilst your wounds heal to give yourself the best chance of a speedy and problem-free recovery.
3. Sit upright as much as possible to minimise swelling.
4. Wear the soft bra we provide you with while your scars settle
5. Avoid wearing anything close to your scars in the first couple of weeks after surgery.

If you would like to explore having your breast implants removed for good or having them removed and replaced, please get in touch and book an initial consultation. This will enable your surgeon to understand what you’d like to achieve and to assess your physiology to provide tailored advice and guidance.