It includes swelling, discomfort, and temporary shape changes.
Removing breast implants (explantation) is even a big decision like getting implants. If it’s because of going naturally, concern about Breast Implant Illness (BII), or simply disliking the way they look, patients frequently want to know: “What are the negative effects of implants removal?” At Lin Europe Clinic we always try to give you a realistic idea of the “after” picture—both the physical relief and the changes to your looks.
Unlike when you put in implants that add volume and change the shape, removing implants takes away the structure. Side effects are hardly ever medical problems. In fact, they are mostly changes in appearance, as well as some sensations in the body, which is back to its original state. If you are aware of such changes, you can think of getting a lift or other procedures if you want the final effect to be very nice.
The Visual Facts: Deflation and Ptosis
You will lose volume and shape, which is the biggest and fastest side effect that you can see. The natural breast tissue may have got thinner if you had very big implants and for a long time it was the only thing touching the skin since the implant was always pressing on it.
- Deflation: Your breasts will most probably be “empty” in the upper pole (the area above the nipple).
- Sagging (Ptosis): Your skin was stretched for the implant. After losing the volume, that skin won’t always bounce back. Hence, the breasts might be lower or have wrinkles (“crepey”).
- Asymmetry: Implants generally mask asymmetry. As a result, when implants are removed, the slight variations between the size or shape of your natural breasts might be obvious.
Physical Sensations: Relief and “Zingers”
People say that physical recovery after explantation is often easier and less painful than that from augmentation. But there remain certain sensory effects.
- Instant Relief: A lot of women state that the moment they get the implants out, they feel lighter and can breathe deeper because there is no more weight on their chest wall (some even say “get out of the heavy vest”).
- Reorganizing nerve pathways: Just as after augmentation, nerves have to adjust. You might experience “zingers” (sharp, electric-shock sensations) or numbness for a while as the tissues settle against the chest wall again.
- Phantom Sensation: Some patients report briefly feeling like the implants are still there, a neurological phenomenon similar to phantom limb sensation, though much milder.
The Emotional and Psychological Impact
You are psychologically ready for this if you can think of it as a process. For a long time, you might have been inclined to identify yourself with having a voluptuous, feminine figure. It might take a little mental time to get used to the fact that you are back to a smaller bra size.
Some women get a feeling of being free and getting their health back especially if they experienced symptoms and they blamed them on the implants. Meanwhile, some other women might encounter the issue of feeling “less feminine” or being self-conscious because of the loose skin. At Lin Europe Clinic, we help patients see the big picture and focus on the benefits that will be there for them in the long run, i.e., comfort and health, while we are always there to provide surgical solutions for a better-looking outcome.
Mitigating the Effects: The Role of a Lift (Mastopexy)
Sagging skin is one of the main reasons that many patients who want to have a breast implant removal also choose to have a breast lift (mastopexy) at the same time. This will probably be necessary if the implants were very large or you have been augmented for more than ten years.
A lift removes the excess, loose skin and reshapes the remaining natural tissue into a tighter, perkier cone. While this creates scars, it prevents you from having the “empty sock” look that many women are scared of. In exceptional cases, we apply fat transfer—getting fat from the belly or thighs and injecting it into breasts—to regain some natural volume and softness without inserting a foreign object.
Capsule Removal and Scar Tissue
One of the main questions is what will happen to the scar capsule which formed around the implant. Most of the times, if the scar capsule is left inside the body, the body will reabsorb it gradually but at times it can lead to fluid buildup (seroma).
Thus, if the capsule is removed (capsulectomy), then the operation is more demanding and the healing process is slightly longer. One of the capsulcectomy’s side effects can be a slightly depressed chest wall. Your doctor will choose the best method in accordance with your capsule’s thickness and your health goals.
Explant Surgery in Turkey
Corrective breast surgery and restorative breast surgery are two categories in which Turkey is the leading provider. At Lin Europe Clinic in Istanbul, we are experts in “En Bloc” removal and difficult explant-lift combinations. We realize that this operation frequently carries a burial of a chapter on an emotional level.
Having everything taken care of at a single clinic, we got you covered both in terms of physical and mental health. From state-of-the-art pre-surgical examinations to figuring out the condition of your implants to VIP transfers that ensure a comfortable journey, every detail is taken care of. Istanbul is the place where we invite you to let your natural self shine.
Frequently Asked Questions About Implant Removal
The primary side effects are those related to appearance: loss of volume, deflation, and loose skin. On the physical side, you may experience temporary nerve pain but also a sense of relief from not being weighed down.
They might look deflated or droopy but it is very uncommon that they look “deformed”. A breast lift can restore the shape and remove the extra skin to make the appearance better.
If the implants were small and worn only for a short time, the skin might pull back. However, the majority of women will have the skin remain loose and a breast lift will be needed to make the skin look tight again.
The phenomenon is a temporary sensation where the brain continues to believe the implants are still there and can feel their weight or presence.
Many patients say that they experience a lower pain level after explant surgery than after the first augmentation because, this time, the muscle is not being stretched.
Food and Drug Administration. (2020). Breast Implant Illness and Explantation. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Gabriel, A., et al. (2015). Outcomes of breast implant removal: A 10-year review. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 35(7), 785-791.
Rohrich, R. J., & Beran, S. J. (2018). Secondary Breast Augmentation and Explantation. Thieme.
Spear, S. L. (2010). Surgery of the Breast: Principles and Art. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Swanson, E. (2014). Evaluation of symptoms in patients with silicone breast implants and the effect of explantation. Annals of Plastic Surgery, 72(1), 1-8.
