There’s been a growing trend of breast implant removal in Hollywood: Chrissy Teigen, Ayesha Curry, and former Bachelorette Clare Crawley have all been up front about their decision to undergo a reversal. The latest celeb? Tori Spelling, who recently took to Instagram to share that she’s consulted with a plastic surgeon about getting rid of her implants.
The decision seemed to be a long time coming. “After needing to for many years, I’m finally addressing my expired and recalled implants. Thanks for squeezing me in,” Spelling wrote, going on to address Beverly Hills, California, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Payam Jarrah-Nejad. “Great consult! I adore you already…”
While implants don’t technically have an expiration date, they’re not a lifetime product; they may need to be replaced after 20 years or more, barring complications that could bump up that timeline. Spelling may also be pointing to the recall request, by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), of Allergan’s textured breast implants in 2019 due to a potential link between breast implant–associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), a rare lymphoma, and textured implants. (That said, the request stopped short of asking consumers to remove their implants if they’re not experiencing any symptoms.) Just a month ago, the FDA released new safety guidelines, with new black box warnings that outline the risks as well as a patient decision checklist, to increase transparency and safety.
Breast implant removal has seen an increase in popularity and while Teigen did it for purely aesthetic purposes—after finding that they sagged after the birth of her children—breast implant illness (BII) was the primary factor for others, including Crawley, Curry, and fitness influencer Bec Donlan.
Rather than forgoing augmentation altogether, some have chosen to replace it with fat transfer breast augmentation or, as in Teigen’s case, a breast lift. Tacking on an additional procedure is becoming much more common. “My practice sees a significant number of patients who’ve had their surgery by other surgeons, be it recent or not, come to me for revisions, lifts, and removal or replacements from other complications, like capsular contraction,” says Dr. Jarrah-Nejad. “So not necessarily just breast implant removal but alongside other associated procedures.”
The recovery is about the same as for a breast augmentation, clocking in at only a week, says Dr. Jarrah-Nejad; most patients just need to wear a surgical bra and avoid any heavy lifting or pushing and pulling. And the results are often worth it. “They have a significant relief of pain, and the satisfaction rate is close to 100%,” he says. “It’s a very satisfying procedure, not just for aesthetics but also for the relief of pain and discomfort.”
Since additional procedures, like a lift, can lead to more scarring and breast tissue loss, he cautions that it’s important to have a thorough consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon. “The surgeon needs to candidly go over the pros and cons and trade-offs of breast implant removal versus breast implant removal and replacement versus other procedures,” he says. “Breast implant removal may not always be the best answer, so this is where a thorough consultation becomes paramount.”
