Recovery time for removal of submuscular implants in a very muscular athlete? Is it possible without cutting muscle? (photo)

To begin with, your scars did not go and they never will, they are for a lifetime.For modern breast augmentation the latest trend, the less aggressive
and the one with better recovery and lesser rate of complications is the
subfascial plane; strongly recommended 5th generation (latest) of
anatomical, cohesive gel filled and macrotextured implants.Submuscular placement was the standard with the, nowadays obsolete, smooth or microtextured implants; however nowadays the submuscular placement is a non justified aggression... and in your case due your sportive activity seems to be a major limitation to your performance, which would be non-existant in the subfascial plane.I recommend implant renewal and conversion to subfascial placement, a world a part.

The short answer is probably. Going through your previous incision and removing the implants should not disrupt your pectoralis muscle. However, if your goal is to try and restore the muscle to it's pre implant position, then most likely drains and a 6 week period of upper body rest will be required. This involves suturing the pec back down to the chest and obliterating the space that is occupied by the implants.
Your plastic surgeon can discuss options for implant removal with you.
Best of luck.

Thank you for your quesiton, 
It is not always necessary to cut muscle to remove the implants, however, we do often restrict any vigorous upper body workouts for two-four weeks after the procedure. Too much friction in the now empty pocket can cause a fluid accumulation called a seroma that will need to be tapped and drained in order for you to heal correctly. We tend to put our patients in a very fitted garment or ace wrap around there chest to achieve good compression to help avoid any kind of fluid build up during your recovery.

Congratulations on qualifying for nationals!  Your breasts look quite natural & you don't appear to have any capsular contracture.  Thus removing them should be a relatively straight forward procedure.  Your scars won't ever go away, they will be used as access to remove the implants, and will then go through a similar healing process as before.  If I was doing your surgery I would recommend walking only for exercise for approximately 4 weeks post op.  I would not want you lifting weights at all during this time.  Otherwise your recovery should be easy & much easier & less painful than having the implants put in.  All the best with your decision.

Yes it is possible to remove the implants without disturbing the muscle. The question is whether you need any surgery to the capsules as that often does cause some trauma to the muscle and recovery time is longer. I would consult with a PS and run through the pros and cons. 

Hello and thanks for your question-It's likely that your implants could be removed with a very minor procedure, through the same incision that was used to put them in. The recovery is fairly minimal as long as the capsule doesn't need to be removed too. With implants that are only 4-5 yrs old, as long as they feel soft, its unlikely that you'll need the capsule removed. I think you'll be well-recovered in time to train for your competition. Best wishes-

The removal of your implants will be much easier than when you had them placed. The muscle will not need to cut.  If the capsule around the implant does not need to be removed your recovery will be even quicker.  Best to ask your surgeon his/her exact time and weight limitations but it should be short.  The scar under the breast will always be there, it will never go away but at the time of your implant removal it could be revised.  Good luck in your competition!!

The implants can be removed through the same scar underneath the breast.  If you are not having any issues with the capsules, you do not need to have them removed which will lessen the complexity of your surgery and the recovery time.  You will have to take time off from lifting, but you will be able to gradually resume as you heal.

Thank you for your question. Removing the implants is a much easier recovery then breast augmentation. The length of your recovery will depend upon how much scar tissue has developed around the implant that will need to be removed during surgery. This will allow your pectoralis muscle full mobility for your upper body work out. 

The simplest way to treat your case is to go through the fold implant and remove your implants on each side. If you are not removing the capsule or disturbing the muscle this will be the least disruptive to your training.  Good luck.