After explant, what happens to the "pocket?"

Thank you for your question.  After removal of the implant, the pocket that contained the implant will start to slowly shrink.  Removal of the capsule will depend on the capsule's thickness and whether any hardening has taken place, but little breast tissue is sacrificed during this portion of the procedure.  Due to the stretching of your breast skin with implant placement, and the natural reduction in breast tissue that occurs with time, you will probably not go back to your pre-BA size, but it is difficult to know without assessing your specific tissue. Hope this helps.

Thanks for your question.  Without a capsulectomy, no breast tissue is usually removed with the breast implant. With a capsulectomy, a small amount of breast tissue adjacent to the capsule may be removed.  The pocket usually collapses down in size but depending on the original breast size, size of implant, duration with implant, tissue and skin quality, and age, the degree of contraction may vary.  Hope this helps.  Best of luck!

Thank you for your question.  The body begins to close up the space that once had the implants.  There is shrinking of the tissues to a degree and contraction of the muscle as well.  The quality of one's tissues, size of implants removed, age, and duration of implants all affect the degree that the tissues will collapse.  An older patient with larger implants for a longer time is less likely to go back to a preaugmented size than a younger patient with smaller implants for a shorter duration.  

After removal compression is often used to help the pocket to collapse. Fluid can sometimes accumulate in the pocket space. If there is too much fluid it may need to be drained which is why some surgeons use drains with implant removal. The amount of "bounce back" you'll have after removal will be influenced largely by skin elasticity, implant size, and the length of time the implants were in place.

After explantation, which is the surgical removal of a breast implant, the body typically starts a process called capsular contracture. This occurs as the body's natural response to the presence of a foreign object, such as a breast implant. The tissue surrounding the implant, known as the capsule, may gradually shrink and tighten.
In some cases, the capsule may partially or completely dissolve over time. However, in other instances, especially if the implants were in place for a long time or if there were complications such as infection, the capsule may persist. If the capsule remains and causes discomfort or distortion of the breast shape, additional surgical intervention may be necessary to remove it.
In cases where the capsule remains intact and does not cause any issues, it may just become a part of the body's natural tissue and remain in place without causing any further problems. However, it's essential for individuals who have undergone explantation to follow up with their healthcare provider regularly to monitor their breast health and address any concerns that may arise.

If the capsules are removed the pocket will scar down and will naturally close.The idea of explant surgery is not to remove any breast tissue. IN terms of size everything depends on the amount of breast tissue now rather than 5 years ago. Best to have a consult with someone that can show you examples of patients who have had implant removal

Typically the breast pocket just scars down. It should not fill up with fluid as that would be considered a "seroma". Breast tissue is typically not removed, but the capsule is sometimes removed if necessary.

Once the implants are removed, the pocket or space that remains slowly shrinks. In many women, it disappears. If the capsule does not need to be removed, none of your tissue is removed. If the capsule is removed, usually only a small amount of your tissue is removed. However, implants often cause some compression of your own tissue. Both your breast and your skin has been stretched, so you may not always return to your normal size prior to surgery.

In general, once the implant is removed - sometimes with some of the capsule - the remaining tissues will collapse and contract in.  It is unlikely that they will "fill in" or that you will return to your preoperative appearance.That, though, is hard to predict.  In general, the larger the implants, the longer they were in place, the older you are, the thinner your tissues, weight changes and many other factors - the less likely you will return to the way you looked before.  You may, but you should be prepared not to.You should discuss this in detail with your own plastic surgeon and try to be prepared for several different outcomes as it is particularly difficult to predict what you will look like.I hope that this helps and good luck,Dr. Alan EnglerMember of #RealSelf100