Breast Implant Removal
Removal of existing implants without replacement. Partial removal of the capsule is sometimes needed. This changes the way the breast looks dramatically: most volume is lost, and you will be left with the amount of breast tissue you naturally have. Removal is usually done through the same incision at the inframammary fold (IMF).
Who should consider implant removal?
Implants are no longer desired; a change in health, lifestyle or how you feel about your body; capsular contracture; or a rupture or suspected rupture.
What happens during implant removal?
The right operation depends on your capsule and how much natural tissue remains. Options range from removal alone, to removal with capsulectomy, to removal with a lift to redrape the remaining tissue. Breasts after removal will not look the way they did before implants — the skin has been stretched.
How long is recovery after implant removal?
Simpler than the original augmentation for most patients. A week of taking it easy, six weeks before returning to upper-body training. If a lift is done at the same time, follow the lift timeline.
Dr. Vande Ven will discuss whether removal alone gives you a result you will be happy with, or whether a lift at the same time is the better plan.
Implant Exchange
Removes existing implants and replaces them with new ones in the same operation. Implants are not lifetime devices — and exchange is also how a change of size or profile is made after a previous augmentation.
Who is a good candidate for implant exchange?
Implants nearing the ten-year mark — exchanging before a problem develops is more straightforward than fixing a complication — or patients who want a different size or profile than their original implants.
What happens during implant exchange?
Sizing is determined by the desired outcome, the amount of excess skin, and the stretch to the skin. In general, an increase of about 100cc is needed to see a difference.
How long is recovery after implant exchange?
Generally easier than the original augmentation, since the pocket already exists and the tissue has already stretched. Post-op bra wear is recommended for at least six weeks, with no heavy lifting for at least two weeks. Your specific recovery guidance is discussed at your consultation.
Breast Revision Surgery
A second operation to correct or update a previous breast surgery. Tissue changes over time — especially with pregnancy, weight loss or weight gain. This changes the way the breasts look over time, so sometimes a corrective surgery is needed.
Who needs revision surgery?
Capsular contracture; implant malposition, bottoming out or rippling; asymmetry; rupture; implants that have simply been in place a long time; wanting a different size or a different implant.
What happens during revision surgery?
Revision is planned case by case. It may involve exchanging implants, repairing or releasing the capsule, adding internal support, changing the implant plane, or combining with a lift. Bring your prior operative report and implant card if you have them — they make the plan far more precise.
How long is recovery after revision surgery?
Varies with the complexity of the repair. Straightforward exchanges recover like a first augmentation; capsule work and internal repairs take longer and require stricter activity limits.
Revision has a higher complication rate than a first-time operation. Dr. Vande Ven will be clear with you about what is realistically fixable.
What a breast implant removal quote includes
- The surgeon's fee — the operation itself
- The facility fee — the operating room and the staff who run it on the day
- Anesthesia — administered and monitored by the anesthesia provider
- Surgical supplies — the sterile instruments, dressings and materials used on the day
- Routine post-operative visits — your follow-up appointments after surgery are included
You'll receive an individualized, itemized quote at your consultation. If a quote elsewhere is much lower, ask which of these five parts it leaves out.
Consultations are unhurried, with time for questions. Surgery, consultations, sizing and follow-up all happen at our
Rancho Bernardo office, which has an operating room on site.
Surgery can also be performed at the
Carlsbad Surgery Center, where Dr. Vande Ven holds
operating privileges.
Frequently asked questions
What happens to your breasts after implant removal?+
Expect less volume and less upper fullness than before the implants, and — depending on how large they were and how long they were in — some loose skin. Some patients are happy with removal alone; others combine it with a lift. What's realistic for you depends on your skin, which is exactly what the consultation assesses.
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