Breast implant removal in London
Breast implant removal has increased in numbers over the last 10 years. Most women are often very happy with their new breast implants, although some would prefer to their breast size before having had a breast enlargement for a number of reasons. With time and with the ageing process, some women may find they no longer like the appearance of their chest and there may be a reduction in confidence as a result. Often with pregnancy and childbirth, the breasts often undergo natural enlargement and women may find the extra size is a little too much for them. In a very small number of cases, there may be underlying medical reasons for having them removed.
You may also be interested in breast implant replacement.
Our clinic at 106 Crawford Street was recently inspected and rated as good across all 5 domains. All our surgeons are on the GMC specialist register for plastic surgery. The Royal College of Surgeons of England has an excellent information resource on cosmetic surgery.
10 REASONS TO CHOOSE US – CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE
What is included in my treatment package?
- As many preoperative consultations with your surgeon as you like to make sure the procedure is right for you
- Treatment at a specialist day surgery facility recently rated ‘Good’ by the CQC
- Enhanced same day discharge with the added benefits of recovering in your own home
- 24/7 clinical support from your surgeon for first 48 hours and our expert postoperative support team
- Your very own dedicated patient coordinator
- In-depth preoperative medical assessment to make sure you are fully fit for your procedure
- Exceptionally high standards of postoperative care described as ‘outstanding’ by the CQC with regular telephone and face to face checks
RealSelf Top Doctors for breast implant removal
RealSelf top doctor status is awarded to less than 10% of the RealSelf doctor community. This status is earned by achieving consistently high patient satisfaction (from RealSelf reviews), getting excellent feedback on expert answers to patient questions, and after investing significant time in Q&A and other doctor activity. RealSelf top doctors are rated among the very best surgeons in the United Kingdom and USA.
Why choose Centre for Surgery for breast implant removal?
- Over 15 years experience in all types of breast surgery – capsulectomy, breast implant replacement and breast implant removal
- We own and manage our own surgical facilities. Properly performed breast surgery takes time and should not be rushed. We do not cram 4-5 procedures into one day like other providers. You want your surgeon to be well-rested and mentally and physically sharp to perform breast surgery to get the very best results.
Our clinic at 106 Crawford Street was recently inspected and rated as good across all 5 domains.
- Our surgeons live and work in the UK. This is very important because whilst your surgeon takes all precautions to minimise complications, complications can and do occur and our surgeons are readily available to manage any issues if and when they arise.
Implant Removal Expected Results
- Removal of breasts enables a restoration of the original breast size
- In cases of capsular contracture, breast implant rupture or implants that have migrated over time then removing them will immediately improve the chest appearance
When you undergo breast augmentation, you’re generally not thinking about what is going to happen when you have the implants removed. However, having your implants removed or replaced is a common occurrence.
Generally, the lifetime of implants are considered to be around 15 years, so most women will eventually find that they are recommended to remove or replace their implants. There are numerous reasons why women decide they need to have their breast implants removed. This can include complications such as infection, problems with the implant, or the development of capsular contracture. In other instances, the body may have just changed or you may not like how the implants look anymore.
In some instances, you may need to undergo other procedure after the implant removal. You may require a breast uplift to ensure the breasts do not lose their shape.
Ideal Candidate for Breast Implant Removal
Those who are eligible for breast implant removal are those who:
- Had implant complications: in some cases, the implant will rupture, fold or deflate and will need to be removed. Other complications include capsular contracture, displacement, leakage or infection
- Had lifestyle changes: pregnancy, weight loss or weight gain can change the appearance of our body and make the implants look out of proportion
- Changed their mind: while the implants might have been a good decision 10 years ago, you may not want to have implants anymore and are looking to have them removed
If you choose to undergo breast implant removal, you will also need to be physically and mentally healthy.
You will have to be a non-smoker, or be able to stop smoking prior to the procedure, and throughout the recovery period.
Risks and complications of breast implant removal
Breast implant removal is always a surgical procedure and therefore there are certain risks associated with the procedure. By having your procedure at Centre for Surgery, you can be assured of receiving a very standard of medical care thanks to our highly rigorous policies and protocols to minimise risks and complications.
Risks of Breast Implant Removal
- Anaesthetic risks
- Bleeding
- Delayed wound healing
- Infection
- Changes in sensation
- Breast asymmetry
- Seroma formation
- Future requirement for a breast lift if breasts become very droopy
PIP breast implants
Although implant replacement is required for implants that have reached the end of their lifespan, some breast implant removal procedures have become sadly necessary for implants that were made of defective materials such as PIP implants. PIP implants were used by the larger cosmetic surgery chains as they were cheap and helped to cut costs and increase profits at the expense of patient safety.
Centre for Surgery have never used PIP implants and are only one of a handful of UK providers not to have used them. Other providers have cut corners in the provision of high quality patient care and in doing so they have put patients lives at risk. For patients desiring breast implant removal, we have built up a solid reputation in catering to the needs of women who have been badly let down by the commercial-focused cosmetic surgery groups. If you have been experiencing symptoms from your breast implants and you suspect them to be lower grade PIP implants then we would advise you get in touch to learn about the treatment options available.
For all our patients who have had breast implant surgery at Centre for Surgery, you can be reassured that the implants which our surgeons are only of the highest quality and have undergone rigorous safety testing.
Breast Implant Removal Surgical Technique
Breast implant removal is a straightforward procedure performed under TIVA general anaesthesia as a day case. Unlike other types of general anaesthetic, TIVA has a much better recovery profile. You will be able to recover in the comfort of your own home later the same day. The surgeon begins by placing the incision through the existing incision made for the first breast augmentation procedure. The breast implants will then be removed. In many cases where there is capsular contracture, the breast capsule scar tissue may also have to be surgically removed. This part of the procedure takes time as the surgeon has to carefully dissect the capsule from the surrounding structures. In simple case of breast implant removal, any scar tissue will deflate and flatten while the body heals. The incisions will then be sutured with dissolvable sutures following by the application of a sterile wound dressing. Breast implant removal takes about 1 to 3 hours to perform depending if a capsulectomy is also required. If you decide to have a breast lift or breast fat transfer at the same time then this will have to be factored into the procedure duration which will be longer.
Recovery after Breast Implant Removal
The recovery following breast implant removal will generally be easier and smoother than the one experienced after your initial breast augmentation. However, the recovery period may be longer if you also had a breast uplift after your implant removal.
After the surgery, it is normal to experience some swelling, redness and bruising. You may need to take pain medication to help with any symptoms.
You will have a compression garment which you will need to wear throughout the recovery period. This will help to support the breasts and reduce any swelling.
You may need to take up to five days off work. This will vary from person to person. If you have a physically demanding job, you may need to take more time off. Those who had capsular contracture may also need to take extra time off.
You will need to avoid any strenuous physical exercise, including any heavy lifting, for at least six weeks. This will also include lifting young children. If you have young children, you may have to consider childcare options for your recovery period.
Your breasts may take at least two months to settle into place. Your breasts may initially appear deflated, but volume will eventually be restored.
FAQs
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Can I have breast implant removal?If you have had breast augmentation, and you are currently unhappy with your implants or have had a complication, you may wish to undergo breast implant removal.
To be a suitable candidate, you will also need to be physically and mentally healthy. You will also need to be a non-smoker, or be able to stop smoking before and after the procedure. -
How long will the results last after breast implant removal?Breast implant removal gives permanent results. Patients may notice changes in the size, shape or position of the breasts as the breasts undergo the ageing process with time. Pregnancy and changes in weight can affect the result of the breast implant removal procedure.
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Will I need a breast lift after a breast implant removal?After having the breast implant removal procedure, you may find you are dissatisfied with the shape of your breasts. A breast lift procedure is an effective procedure to change the shape of the breasts through the removal of excess skin leading to tightening of the soft tissue envelope of the breast to restore a more youthful breast contour. In many cases you may be happy with the shape of your breasts and therefore a breast lift procedure may not be required.
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How does breast implant removal differ from breast implant replacementIn breast implant removal, the removed implant is not replaced with another implant in its place. After breast implant removal, the skin overlying the breast will undergo a degree of skin retraction so that the breasts will appear more or less as they were before having breast implants. It is unlikely you will require any further procedure to change the appearance of the breasts although a breast lift is ideal for those unhappy with the shape of their breasts.
In a small number of cases, it may be appropriate to perform fat grafting to the breasts to create a degree of lift and in more severe cases of breast sagging, a surgical mastopexy or breast lift may be necessary. -
What are PIP implants and why do they need to be removed or replaced?PIP breast implants were manufactured by a French company and were made using a non-compliant type of industrial silicone as opposed to medical grade silicone. There were clear dangers to health of using such an implant. PIP implants were found to have a much higher rate of implant rupture compared with approved medical grade breast implants.
PIP implants were heavily used by the large commercial cosmetic surgery groups as they were very cheap to purchase. There are approximately 50000 women who had these implants in the UK.
Sadly once the fraudulent nature of the implants were discovered by regulators, many women very understandably wanted them removed or replaced. There has however been no proven link to serious health conditions as a result of having PIP implants. Centre for Surgery are well known for our expertise in breast implant removal and/or replacement and have treated many hundreds of women affected by PIP implants. We have never used PIP implants ever and continue to use only the highest quality approved medical grade silicone breast implants. Even in 2021, we still see women who have had PIP implants and wish to have them removed. -
Does breast implant removal have to be performed by the same surgeon who performed my breast augmentation?No. In a number of cases, the surgeon who performed the original breast augmentation procedure may have moved to another area or retired. It is perfectly acceptable to have the breast implants removed by another highly qualified plastic surgeon. Our surgeons have many years of performing revision breast surgery on patients who have had their first procedure performed elsewhere.
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What is capsular contracture ?Breast implants are made of silicone and are classified as a foreign material. Foreign materials do not occur naturally in the human body. Foreign objects such as breast implants when inserted into the human body lead to the formation of a tissue capsule that is fibrous in nature. This occurs with any type of implant, not just breast implants and is a normal phenomenon.
Different people will have a slightly different manner in how this fibrous tissue capsule forms. Some people are more prone to developing thicker scar tissue and in this case the surrounding tissue capsule around the implant will be harder in consistency. With muscular contraction of the pectoralis muscle, this dense fibrous capsule can contract around the implant. This process is referred to as capsular contracture and can cause the breast implant appear deformed with more severe degrees of capsular contracture. Often in more marked cases of capsular contracture, the patient may experience discomfort.
Breast implant removal is often performed alongside surgery for the capsular contracture. The two surgical options for capsules are capsulotomy which is quick and straightforward to perform and a more involved procedure called a capsule to my which involves removal of the entire capsule.
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What does the breast implant removal procedure involve?The surgeon will make an incision where your old incision was made. The implant will then be removed and the incision will be closed with dissolvable sutures.
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How long will the procedure take?The procedure will take around one hour to complete.
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What anaesthetic will be used?Breast implant removal is performed under TIVA general anaesthetic. This means you will be asleep for the duration of the procedure.
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Will I have to stay overnight in hospital?This is a day-case procedure. You will be able to return home once the effects of the anaesthetic have worn off.
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Will I have a scar?The incision will be made in the same place as where the previous incision was done for your original breast augmentation. This means you will not have an additional scar.
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Will I have to wear a compression garment?Following surgery, you will need to wear a compression garment. This will help to support your breasts and to reduce any swelling.
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How long will I have to take off work?You will need to take at least five days off work. You may need to take longer if you have a physically demanding job.
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How long will I need to avoid exercise?You will need to avoid any strenuous physical exercise, as well as heavy lifting, for at least six weeks.
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When will I be able to see results from breast implant removal?You can expect to see results immediately after the breast implant removal procedure. The appearance will continue to improve over a number of weeks after the procedure during the healing process. If you are unhappy with the final shape of your breasts after breast implant removal, your surgeon may recommend a breast lift with or without breast implants to improve the appearance of the breasts.
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