Life changes, and we change. Plain and simple, the body you want today may not be the same as the body you may want in five or ten years. Perhaps you wanted breast implants in your 20s, but now that you’re older, you want to revert to your natural breast shape or size.  Removing breast implants can be complicated. The skin and tissues stretch and expand to accommodate the implant, and once they are removed, your breasts may look a little deflated. One option for restoring breast shape after implant removal is a breast lift, a type of cosmetic surgery procedure that repositions the breast tissues to create a more youthful contour and placement of the breasts. A newer option that shows great promise for restoring breast volume after explant surgery uses excess body fat harvested from other spots in the body to build up breast volume. This procedure is called fat transfer and breast explant with fat transfer. Are you considering breast implant removal? Keep reading to learn about breast explant with fat transfer surgery.

Why Would I Ever Want to Replace My Breast Implants? 

Most of our patients are delighted with their breast implants. They love having a full, rounded breast appearance and appreciate the added bust size that an implant offers. If you love your implants, you can certainly keep them. Sometimes breast implants may need replacement. This procedure is much easier than first-time breast augmentation for many women. We can correct most breast implant complications with revision surgery.  Common reasons for replacement or removal include:

• Desire to change breast size
• Capsular contracture, a condition that causes hardening and distortion of the implant
• Implant leak or rupture
• Sagging after pregnancy
• Implants are getting older and you want newer, modern implants

If your breast implants are no longer meeting your needs, come in for a consultation and we’ll talk about your options. If you still enjoy having implants, we’ll help you replace them with a breast implant exchange. In some cases, you may need an en bloc and breast implant removal to restore the shape of your breasts. If you no longer want breast implants, we’ll help you with the removal and reconstruction process with explant with fat transfer.

How Does Implant Removal Change the Breasts?

Think of the dramatic transformation your breasts experienced when you had your initial augmentation surgery. When you remove them, the change will be just as dramatic, only in the other direction. Depending on your situation, the change may be much more dramatic than you’re expecting. Patients should expect a change in size, shape, symmetry, and positioning. The breasts may look empty or deflated. Sagging and drooping are common.  Factors that increase the likelihood of significant breast changes after implant removal include:

• Poor skin elasticity
• Large implant size
• Longer time with breast implants
• Over the muscle breast implant placement

Many women are unhappy with their breast appearance after explant surgery.

Fat Transfer After Explant

If you’re unhappy with your breast appearance after implant removal, you have options. Our board-certified Charlotte plastic surgeons are experts in breast reconstruction after explant surgery. They can help you reshape and reform your breasts to achieve feminine contours without the use of breast implants.  Explant with fat transfer is a promising option for restoring volume and shape after implant removal. Fat is extracted from another area of the body, often the abdominal area or hips. We add this fat to the breasts, increasing their size and adding contour. Transferred fat implants into the breasts, permanently integrating into the tissues.  Fat transfer provides a moderate volume addition. If you have large implants, you may need a lift plus fat grafting to get the results you’d like. Some patients will require multiple fat grafting treatments to achieve ideal volume. Browse our breast surgery before and after photos to see real client results. Curious about breast implant removal? Call H/K/B to schedule a consultation and learn more.