POSTED UNDER Breast Implant Removal REVIEWS
They're Out! - Austin, TX
ORIGINAL POST
Finally got my 380cc under the muscle implants out...
explantedNovember 11, 2013
$1,900
Finally got my 380cc under the muscle implants out today which I have had for 16 years. They have slid down and to the sides over the years and after getting a ridiculous price quote to do a revision I realized that I never wanted to spend another penny or risk my life with anesthesia just to have big breasts. At 38 years old my body is not perfect and never will be. I can accept that and just want to be natural again. This site and everyone on it has been so helpful I wanted to share my experience no matter how it turns out. I had my surgery done today under local anesthesia and it was incredibly easy! I was given some Valium and a Norco. Then they cleaned me up and prepped the area with a sheet hanging between my face and breasts so I could not see what they were doing. The doctor, who was very sweet and funny, came in, made a small incision under my breasts where they had gone in initially and basically just squeezed out the implant. I heard a loud pop and felt a cold breeze and that was it, the nurse stitched me up wrapped me in my sports bra and an ace bandage and sent me home. I look like a boy now in my shirts and I think my husband is pretty disappointed but i'm hoping things will be OK in the end! I'll keep you posted!
explanted's provider
Replies (7)
November 12, 2013
Wow, your procedure sounded so simple....I wish my had been that easy:) Congrats on your explant...it definitely looks like something is peeking out of the bandages. How long do you have to keep the bandages on?
November 13, 2013
Hi fixxit! I saw your pics and I can only hope my breasts turn out as nice as yours! My procedure was so easy because I did not have the capsules removed, but I was worried the whole time that an implant would be ruptured and there would be free silicone on the capsule. I got lucky on that one! I leave the Ace bandage on for three days and will probably leave the sports bra on for three weeks as the nurse told me you can never have too much compression :)
November 12, 2013
Congrats on your explant!
I think you look great! I'm sure you have more than you think under that bandage! Give it time, fluffing does happen!
UPDATED FROM explanted
2 days post
Well it's day two...
explantedNovember 13, 2013
and this is harder than I thought it would be. With the Ace bandage and sports bra on I look completely flat in clothes. I went online last night and ordered a padded sports bra for when I return to work. I work in the medical field and people there are pretty straight forward. If they notice a change they will say something, and while i'm less embarassed about getting the implants out than having them in the first place, I don't want people to think that I have absolutely nothing because they're all squashed down. I'm posting a picture I took on day 1, but they do not look as good in real life as they do in this picture! I guess, as someone else said, the camera really does add a cup size. Most of my hollowness from the implants is to the side, not the front because that's where the implants had ended up. Anyway i'm just going to pray for fluffing and lots of it!
Replies (19)
November 13, 2013
Wow! Happy for you that they were intact. Don't be too despondent. Once that bandage comes off "they" will settle
November 13, 2013
They look great and about like mine looked right after my explant. You will go through lots of changes believe me but I don't regret it for a minute and I love the flat look myself. Sometimes I do put the little silicone things in my bra or cami with bra shelf though depending on what I'm wearing.
November 13, 2013
Here's a post I put together a while ago about ways to give your chest some oomph for those times when you want to. Thanks for your update. Hang in there!
November 14, 2013
Hi Angie,
Why weren't your capsules removed?
Do you know the pros and cons in keeping the capusules?
Do you know the pros and cons in removing the capusules?
Thanks
November 14, 2013
Hi there,
I haven't had breast implants (thus no removal), but I do love this community of women! Here's what some doctors say about why you would want to remove your capsules.
November 14, 2013
Thank you for that info Angie. Very interesting:) My capsules were extremely calcified, that's probably why my doc removed them. I had no complications from the removal.
November 14, 2013
Hi ladies,
I'm sorry, i'm new at this...
My questions were for Explanted, but I would appreciate any information regarding removing/keeping the capsules...
The pros and cons of keeping the capsules?
The pros and cons of removing them?
Thanks.
November 14, 2013
I was told there is no benefit to having scar tissue stay in your body. It is my understanding the only reason a PS would choose to leave tgem is because it makes his/her job a lot easier, and it is a less complicated procedure.
November 14, 2013
Hi, I also had explant with capsules removed. I agree with mamakas6, there is no reason to leave scar tissue inside you. Also they test for a rare type of cancer that happens in the scar tissue around the implant. Sometimes they do have to leave small bits behind if its too affixed to your ribs, etc. and removing it would cause too much damage. In that case, my understanding Is that they in essence cauterize it to remove any danger leaving it could cause. Hope this helps!
November 14, 2013
I'm not an expert, but the way I understood it was that as long as the implant was not ruptured there was no reason to remove them as scar tissue will eventually reform in the area where the capsules were anyway. If the implants are ruptured there could be silicone in the capsule itself and it should come out. As far as making the PS's job easier i'm sure it does, but he could have charged me a lot more if he took them out! ;)
November 14, 2013
This is exactly what my ps told me as far as removing, in addition it can increase chance of bleeding and make for a harder recovery. therefore I didn't have a capsulectomy. I did have a few seroma's drained (weed after my drains were removed) but that's common.
November 14, 2013
I agree...I go to a very reputable and amazing PS and we spoke extensively about capsule removal and collectively
decided to do a simple explant. It had nothing to do with making his job easier but rather what was best for me in my situation.
November 14, 2013
There are two theories on leaving the tissue. In Eastern medicine, docs feel it interrupts the meridian flow in your body (excuse my poor medical terminology.. Going by what I remember my naturopath explaining to me). Disease /cancer is more likely to grow in an environment where scars are interrupting meridian flow. But, that is the Holistic viewpoint. Western medicine is quite different and may disagree completely.
November 14, 2013
That is really interesting, I wonder can acupuncture or anything improve the flow?
November 17, 2013
I am confused as to what it means to have the capsules out or leave in? I know I have scar tissue I can see it. Also you had drains in, is that because you had the capsules removed? Thanks for any info. I have had implants for 14 years and they are getting hard. I have had 2 mammograms and I had to fight back tears it was so painful and this was before they got hard. I have reached the age of needing a mammogram every year, but I cant see how, I think they will pop! Thanks for any info!
Shannon
November 17, 2013
The capsule is the scar tissue that forms around the implant. Some ps remove it and others don't. They usually leave it alone (since it will go away) if it's not calcified or abnormal in any other way and if the implants aren't being replaced. Other ps like to remove everything together like an egg (implant with capsule surrounding it and it's intact that's called enbloc). It's case by case on whether ops remove or not.
UPDATED FROM explanted
3 days post
Let the fluffing begin!
explantedNovember 14, 2013
I was able to take the Ace bandage off today so at least I have TINY bumps in my sports bra instead of looking completely flat. The fluffing is underway as well. I told myself before my procedure that I wouldn't even look at my breasts until I took the Ace wrap off so I wouldn't be disappointed, but I couldn't hold out. Ladies if you can wait, do it! The caved in part of my breasts already looks so much better and I would have been a lot less horrified had I never seen them all caved in and wrinkly. Not that they aren't still a little scary right now, but it's only day 4, I know from this site how much things can change.
My husband was not completely on board with my decision so he doesn't want to hear much about it, so ladies your support and having a place to discuss this means everything! Not to mention the pics which led to my decision. Everyone of you look so much better without all those silly unnatural looking bags!
My husband was not completely on board with my decision so he doesn't want to hear much about it, so ladies your support and having a place to discuss this means everything! Not to mention the pics which led to my decision. Everyone of you look so much better without all those silly unnatural looking bags!
I'm so happy you did start your story here! I loved reading about what the surgery was like, don't think I've come across a description like that before, so it'll be extremely helpful for other ladies. I wonder why your implants slid to the side like that...
Of course your'e flat right now because of that crazy bandage, but I bet you have some cleavage when it comes off and you fluff up. Keep us posted!