After Explantation - How Long Should I Wait to Get a Lift or New Implants?

I would recommend waiting at least 3 months for your tissues to heal from your explant surgery.  This way, the skin will be relaxed and well healed for the eventual lift.

Removal of breast implants, intact or ruptured, may have positive implications if patients are symptomatic. A constellation of symptoms associated with breast implant illness, and autoimmune disease are considered when treating patients who have breast implants and are concerned about foreign body reaction. In our office, we begin this journey with a consideration of symptoms and exclusion of obvious autoimmune problems. In many of our patients, en bloc removal of breast implants with capsulectomy is important and beneficial. Further clinical evidence about breast implant illness is evolving and will continue to guide treatment. I would suggest removal if there is a possibility of foreign body reaction.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

It is probably the same to lift immediately after explantation in your case.  A significant lift will be needed because you say you needed one prior to augmentation, now your tissues have been stretched out even further.  Good luck

If the implant is made of saline, I may choose to deflate it before removing it, which helps it to come out easier. The surgery itself lasts about a half hour to forty-five minutes.

From your description, I see no reason why the implants cannot be removed and a breast lift done concurrently. 

If you are a candidate it is common to have implants removed and a lift done on the same day. You can also consider having the implants replaced and a lift performed on the same day. Visit with a board certified plastic surgeon near you for an evaluation to determine if you are a good candidate for this option.

There are many different ways to approach your situation.

Often, breast implant removal and breast lifting can be done during the same procedure. If you decide to wait to have the breast lift performed,  then waiting a period of 3 to 6 months is reasonable.

Best wishes.

Breast lift or mastopexy is sometimes needed after removal of large breast implants and especially if there is droop of the breast over the surface of the implants. The breast implants then appear to ride up high above the nipple. If you are undecided it can pay to have the implants removed, and decide on the lift at a later time, though if you are sure the procedures are easily combined.

Best of luck,

peterejohnsonmd

Sometimes it is very difficult to perform a lift on a patient who has very little breast tissue over the implants. You may be better off having them removed and then a lift at another time once the breasts have settled.

If your implants are saline, and you are certain you want them removed, then your operating surgeon can deflate the implants in the office to allow the breast tissue to shrink whatever it will shrink, and then do the deflated implant removal and lift at the same operation. If you have gel implants or you can't handle the thought of deflation before the removal, you can also have the implants removed at the same time as a lift. The downside to this is that it is probably better to allow the tissues to shrink a bit, because then there might be less loose tissue to deal with. However, the shrinkage may not be much.