Removing 30 Year Old Implants

asked 1 year ago by suzie in wyoming in Rock Springs, WY
Latest answer by Tom J. Pousti, MD
Question viewed 344 times
Tags: age 55-64, 130-149 lbs, 5 ft 4 in to 5 ft 7 in, silicone implant

5 ft 4 inches, 145 lbs 64 years old and the implants are starting to bother me, they have gotten smaller and very hard. Need to Have Silicone Implants Removed. They Are 30 Years Old is This a Problem?

6 answers to Removing 30 Year Old Implants

Removal of Breast Implants?

Thank you for the question. Obviously, specific advice is not possible without the benefit of pictures or direct examination. Generally speaking what breasts look like after explantation depends on several factors such as: the quality of skin elasticity (the better the elasticity the better the skin will bounce back), the size of the implants used (the larger the implant the more trouble you may have with redundant skin), and the amount of breast tissue present at this... more

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Silicone Implants

A consultation and examination would be necessary in order to assist you. I would suggest that you contact a reputable, board certified plastic surgeon in your geographical location. An experienced surgeon will be able to give you treatment options.

Christine Sullivan, MD
Columbus Plastic Surgeon

30 year old implants

Dear suzie in wyoming, My calculaton puts your implant in the 1980 class. These implants were very thin shelled and had very liquid silicone in them. Most of them have formed scar around the implant called capsule contracture. This is what is giving you the feeling of firmness of your implants. Taking them out will relieve the discomfort you have. Having removed a lot of these I can say that , although the operation is a bit messy, it does provide a good result to remove them. Most... more

Jon Sattler, MD
Glendora Plastic Surgeon

Removing old breast implants

If they are hard and bothering you, removing them may be a good idea. In fact, insurance may cover the removal of the implants and hard tissue.

Jeffrey E. Schreiber, MD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

Implant removal

The age of the implants may add complexity to the surgery, but it still can be done. Implants of this age may have a capsule (if they feel firm, they do) and may or may not have ruptured. Older implants have silicone of a low viscosity. This means that the silicone tends to migrate if it leaves the implants. These are factors that can be discerned by a preoperative exam and possible imaging. MRI is the gold standard for determining implant integrity. This... more

Jason R. Hess, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Removing implants

Without an exam, it is hard for me to comment. But in general, implant exchange varies depending upon the nature of the capsule and the likelihood of capsular ocntracture along with the quality of the overlying tissue.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

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