Breast Explant Surgery: What to Know Before Removing Implants

What breast explant surgery actually means

Explant is the common name for removing breast implants without putting new ones in. It falls under the broader category of breast implant revision surgery. The word "revision" covers every second operation on a previously augmented breast — exchanging implants for a different size, removing scar tissue, or taking implants out for good.

The reasons women choose explant vary. Some have a hard scar shell around the implant, a condition called capsular contracture. Some have a leak. Others simply change their mind about size or decide they no longer want implants at all. Each of those reasons is legitimate, and each one leads to a slightly different surgical plan.

At Tulsa Surgical Arts, we perform breast implant revision — including full explant — in our AAAHC-accredited surgery center. Patients travel from across Oklahoma and beyond. Broken Arrow, for example, is about five miles away.

What happens in the operating room

You receive anesthesia so you sleep through the procedure. The surgeon usually works through your existing scar when possible. The old implant is removed. If hard scar tissue has formed around it, that tissue may be removed as well — a step called capsulectomy. The pocket is then closed in layers.

If the skin is loose after the implant comes out, a breast lift can be added at the same time. This reshapes the remaining tissue and repositions the nipple. Small drains are sometimes placed for a few days to prevent fluid from collecting. The goal is one well-planned operation rather than a series of corrections.

What your breasts may look like after explant

Honesty matters here. The breast shape after implant removal depends on your skin quality, the amount of your own breast tissue, and how long the implants were in place. Some deflation is common, especially in the early weeks. The tissue settles over months.

Adding a lift at the time of explant can improve the contour significantly. Whether a lift makes sense for you is something we evaluate in person, looking at skin elasticity, nipple position, and the volume of tissue that remains once the implant is gone. Every patient's anatomy is different, and the plan should reflect that.

It is also important to know that the two sides of the body are never a perfect match. Minor asymmetry is normal. In some cases, further surgery may be needed later. We discuss all of this before you ever reach the operating room.

Risks to understand before your consultation

Every surgery carries risks. Breast explant shares the same risk profile as first-time implant surgery, with a few additions. Scar tissue can return. Nipple sensation may change. Scars form at every incision — most fade over a year, though some stay raised or wide. Numbness near the incision usually improves over months, but small areas can remain numb permanently.

Bleeding can occasionally require a return to the operating room. Infection signs include spreading redness, warmth, pus, or fever — contact your surgical team immediately if you notice these. Blood clots in the legs are rare but serious; a clot that travels to the lungs is an emergency. If you experience sudden shortness of breath or chest pain, call 911 first.

We review every one of these risks with you in person before surgery. An informed patient makes a better decision.

Explant versus implant exchange — choosing your path

Some patients arrive certain they want their implants out. Others are weighing explant against exchanging for a different implant. Both are valid options within breast implant revision surgery. The choice depends on your goals, your anatomy, and the condition of your current implants and surrounding tissue.

A consultation is where this decision takes shape. We examine your tissue, review imaging if needed, and talk through what each option looks like for your specific body. Removing implants for good is never a lesser choice — it is simply a different one. Consult a qualified surgeon to determine which path fits your situation.

Individual results vary. This article is general education, not medical advice.