Breast Implants: Q&A

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Look Normal After Breast Implant Removal?

Can I look normal after removing large breast implants and how much is the cost? I had breast augmentation in 2005 and the 450cc implants were place over the muscle so now I have lots of sagging. I want them removed but one doctor said this would be very difficult and he hadn't done one this bad but 2 or 3 times. Now I'm scared that I will never look normal. I need some advice and what kind of price I would be looking at? Thanks!

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breasts female 450-499cc costs normal over muscle price removal

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20 Doctor Answers | Asked by Beth Wilborn

Doctor Answers (20)
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You can have a normal natural look after removing breast implants

Explantation or removal of breast implants often leaves stretched out tissues. Traditionally, a breast lift or mastopexy is done to reshape the breast and take out extra skin. How much surgery is needed is very individual and depends on the size of the implants, the shape of your body, the condition of your skin. I have found that some women do remarkably well with implant removal without an immediate lift procedure. A patient encouraged me to do just this as she wanted the least surgery... more

Appearance after breast implant removal a tough problem

A 450cc implant is not necessarily large. It really depends on the size of the patient and the amount of skin their breasts have. I agree with others that it sounds like you may have had significant sagging before your first surgery-hence the larger implant and positioning on top of the muscle. Old school thinking was that the placement above the muscle helped lift the breast more than under the muscle. More recent thinking is that when properly performed, sub muscular placement will... more

Breasts change with implants so not the same after removal

Large implants above the muscle can be particularly problematic in terms of the way they affect the breasts. The weight of the implants without any support other than the skin leads to stretching and so when the implants are removed the look can be quite a bit different. It is usually a better idea to replace with smaller implants and go under the muscle, and perhaps a breast lift to deal with the extra skin.

You can look normal after removal of breast implants

Most who elect breast augmentation will wear implants throughout their lives, and if done for the right reasons most could not imagine being without breast implants. There are a very few who have beast augmentation and wish to go back to what they once were. A prime cause is having breast implants for someone other than yourself. Once you have decided that the implants are not you it is possible that the skin envelop has been stretched, or the breast tissue thinned over the surface of the... more

Removing breast implants and having a lift

Removing breast implants in an already droopy breast will give a very saggy deflated breast unless a lift is performed. It is the very rare patient who would be happy with the appearance. If the previous implants were in the over the muscle position, circilation to the nipple will unfortunately be lower and the lift more risky. However an experiened surgeon can perform a safe but effective surgery without undue risk to the nipple. Remember, the more aggressive the lift, the more the... more

You can remove your implants

I have done a lot of implant removal. The best thing is to deflate your implants (this can be done in office) if they are saline and then let your tissue to contract for a least 2-3 weeks before implant removal. Most breast go back to before surgery shape. If patient is not happy with the shape and size, you can have fat injection or another implant.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD

28 reviews

New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

Breast implant removal and sagging (ptosis)

We know that a traditional breast reductionwill result in some correction of the sagging. In many instances, I have removed implants and allowed time the breast to shrink down to a stable size and shape (typically 6 months). At this point I have often found that the breast lift I performis less agressive than one I would have performed at the same time as implant removal. Patients are sometimes surprised and satisfied with the appearance of the breast without pursuing any additional surgery... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

32 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Surgery Designed for an Experienced Surgeon

While it is a tricky surgery and you should do with an experienced surgeon, it is possible to address the sagginess with a breast lift. You may want to also consider a smaller implant under muscle as well.

Implant removal - lift or replacement or nothing?

Most of the time, with breast implant removal, the implants are replaced. that being said, some patients do not feel the need for the added volume but instead are more interested in improving the shape. those patients would benefit from a lift. finally, there are those who want the implants completely removed without replacing them. honestly, 450cc implants are pretty big, and without retailoring the skin (with a lift) there will be a large amount of sag. more

They will not look normal if you just have the implants removed

After removing large implants that have been there for years, you will experience severe sagging and most surgeons will recommend a lift at the same time. I personally refuse to remove large implants without a lift unless the patient does not have much sagging and has enough breast tissue left which is rare and you already have a lot of sagging as you described. you can also try a smaller implant below the muscle along with the lift because a lift alone rarely provides much... more

Achieving an attractive, natural breast shape after removal of large implants

Hi there- When relatively large implants are placed on top of the muscle, the skin and breast tissue will indeed be subject to more of gravity's pull, usually leading to stretching and sagging over time. If you have decided you are no longer interested in having implants but would like to have the most natural, attractive result possible after their removal, I would suggest first and foremost, that you find a surgeon certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery who has a great deal of... more

Breast implant removal

It is difficult to predict what the breasts will finally look like after the implants are removed. It depends a lot on how much breast tissue you started with and how large the implants were in relation to the native breast tissue volume that you had. More than likely, you would need a lift of some sort but this may be better put off until the tissue retracts after the implants are removed.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Explantation of subglandular implant

The question you should ask yourself is what is your goal? Are you just trying to get rid of any foreign body? Are you looking for smaller breasts? Are you trying to correct sagging? What are your parameters for a good vs. bad result? What your goal is (are) will dictate what needs to be done. Without question, removing such large implants from the subglandular position in a breast that is already sagging will exacerbate the sagging look.. If you are not going to replace the implants, you... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

4 reviews

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Large Breast Implant removal

The fact that, after only 4-5 years you want your 450 cc implants removed is support for what I tell everyone I see for Breast augmentation. That is that there is a happy medium, and that going too large creates problems. That is why breast reduction is so common. Even large natural breasts cause problems, such as heaviness, rashes and neck pain. Once you have stretched your tissues so much, several other problems arise. First, the skin has stretched and will not contract back to where it... more

Loose skin after removal of breast implants

It is most likely that you will have loose skin after removal of the implants, but it is not necessary to do a breast lift initially as you may be pleasantly surprised by the recovery of breast shape after the implant removal. Removal of the implant is a simple maneuver, but given the size of the resulting space a fluid collection and residual cavity is possible. Your surgeon should explain what steps (drain, quilting sutures, capsulectomy, pressure, etc.) will be taken to minimize that... more

Removing implants will lead to sagging appearance

Unfortunately you had the implants placed above the muscle so this often causes more skin stretch. When the implants are removed you will probably have sagging breasts and require a lift. If you have fully committed to having the implants removed then you can discuss with your surgeon ways that the corrective surgery can be done. One option I offer patients with saline implants is to deflate the implants several weeks before the surgery so we can see what the remaining breast looks like. ... more

Marcus L. Peterson, MD

4 reviews

Saint George Plastic Surgeon

Breast implant removal

You can easily have the implants removed, but the main issue is the sagging skin that will remain. A breast lift alone may not give you the result you are looking for. Another option is to reduce the implants to a smaller size and have a lift with this. Obviously, if you don't want implants at all, this won't work for you. In some cases, you can have the implants removed, and then after a few months have a lift if needed. This is also safer in terms of ensuring a healthy blood supply to... more

Removing breast implants

If you have large breast implants removed, then you will develop ptosis or sagging of your breast. In most cases, you would require a mastopexy or breast lift to improve the shape of the beast. Costs vary from city to city and doctor to doctor.

Sounds like you need another opinion

This is all conjecture; however, your first surgeon could have put in large implants to try to give you a lift, now you probably need a lift and can have much smaller implants placed. Your surgeon sounds young and inexperienced, so seek a second opinion from and older and wiser surgeon. Good Luck

Removing large breast implants

If your implants were done in only 2005, presumably they are intact. You didn't mention if they were saline or gel. Either way, their removal for any experienced plastic surgeon is a piece of cake. The challenge is in what you do after that. Parenthetically, this further supports my repeated statements that big, over the muscle implants DON'T correct sagging and only lead to worse problems down the road! Because you already describe sagging, you need to accept the fact that you will need... more