Breast Explant Baltimore, Maryland
There can be a number of reasons for a woman to have her breast implants removed or replaced. Sometimes the reason is a change in personal preference or aesthetic. Other times, there are issues with the implants, such as capsular contracture, rupture, or changes in body composition over time.
Whatever your reason, breast explant surgery is an opportunity to restore both comfort and confidence. At her Baltimore practice, Dr. Michele Shermak offers highly customized explant procedures rooted in deep surgical expertise and an understanding of your personal goals.
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Breast implant removal (breast explant surgery) is a procedure done to remove the breast implants and revise their size and shape, or to remove the implants and leave the breasts without implants at all.
Women can also experience the following complications that require a breast explant procedure/breast implant removal:
There are a number of breast implant removal procedures, depending on your unique needs and goals for your body. Explant surgery is an outpatient procedure performed under either general or local anesthesia depending on implant status, location, and patient anxiety.
Capsular contracture is the tightening and calcification of the capsule (the tissue that your body forms around any foreign object in the body, such as breast implants). If the capsule becomes calcified or hard, breast explant surgery with capsulectomy is done to remove it.
During the procedure, incisions will be made in the same place as they were made in the original implant surgery. The implant and the capsule are removed together, and the incisions are closed.
If you wish to continue to have augmented breasts, once Dr. Shermak removes the old implants, new implants of your choosing are inserted, giving your breasts the look and feel you desire.
If you don’t want to have implants but still want enhanced size and volume, a fat transfer can be performed. During this procedure, fat is removed from one part of the body that has surplus fat tissue, which gives you the added benefit of sculpting and shaping that area. The fat cells are purified and then injected into the breasts, which gives them a fuller, more natural appearance.
If the breast skin is stretched or sagging, which is often the case, a breast lift may be done at the same time as the implant removal. The excess breast skin will be removed to tighten the breasts and the breasts will be lifted higher on the chest wall. The nipples will be repositioned for a perky, youthful look. This can be performed in conjunction with Breast Implant Exchange or Fat Transfer.
During this procedure, Dr. Shermak will remove your implants without adding a lift or replacing the augmentation with implants or fat transfer. Oftentimes this can be performed under local anesthesia with minimal downtime.
Explant surgery can correct a wide range of conditions, including hardened scar tissue (capsular contracture), ruptured or leaking implants, visible rippling, implant malposition, and general discomfort.
It’s also frequently chosen by women who no longer want augmented breasts, aiming for the trending “Ballerina Body” due to personal or lifestyle changes. Other women may choose to replace their breast implants to bring their look into alignment with their current aesthetic preferences.
Candidates for breast explant/breast implant removal should meet the following criteria:
Dr. Shermak will carefully assess your candidacy to ensure explant surgery is right for you.
Women often feel physical and emotional relief after explant surgery. Removing the implants can alleviate pain, tightness, or asymmetry, and allow the chest to look and feel more natural.
If desired, options like fat transfer or a lift can add subtle volume and shape without returning to implants. Women do not burn any bridges with explant and may return at a later date for lift or augmentation as they desire.
In many cases, breast explant surgery is an easier recovery than the original implant surgery. You will need someone to drive you home and stay with you for 24 hours after the surgery if performed under general anesthesia.
After the procedure, your breasts will take several months to fully settle into their new position. You will experience some swelling for the first couple of weeks, and a compression bra will help minimize this swelling during the first week or two. During recovery, it is important to sleep on your back or side. During the first month after surgery, avoid heavy lifting (anything above five pounds for at least several weeks) or strenuous exercise. You will be able to drive within days of surgery once you have stopped taking narcotics. Many patients can return to work in a few days.
Dr. Shermak is an understanding, board-certified, outstanding plastic surgeon whose mission it is to restore your beauty, self-confidence, and positive self-image. She is known for her expertise, excellent results, and attention to detail.
Her individualized approach and experience make her one of the top-ranked plastic surgeons in Baltimore. Dr. Shermak brings over two decades of surgical experience with a reputation for excellence in aesthetic and reconstructive breast surgery and has been recognized by her patients and colleagues locally, nationally, and internationally.
Patients appreciate her warmth, honesty, accessibility, and meticulous surgical approach. Her patient-centered philosophy and refined aesthetic make her a standout choice for explant surgery in Maryland.
Recovery from breast explant surgery includes some pain and discomfort and typically takes several weeks. Dr. Shermak uses injectable local anesthetics during surgery and relies heavily on non-narcotic pain management. Narcotics are provided to assure patient comfort and early mobilization after surgery. Less pain after surgery allows for optimal healing.
Your breasts may sag after the implants are removed. Many women choose to incorporate a breast lift into their procedure or replace their old implants using new implants or fat transfer to maintain a lifted, shapely appearance.
You will wear your compression bra for 2-3 weeks following the procedure. This allows the tissues to shrink back and maintain the shape and lift of the breasts after the surgery.
The procedure itself usually takes one to three hours.
Dr. Shermak can often use the same incision location as your previous lift to avoid additional scarring. If a new incision is needed, it will typically be strategically hidden under the breast along the crease a, making the scar less noticeable.
This depends on multiple factors, including the type of your previous breast augmentation, the severity of scar tissue, the status and location of the implants, and whether you would like to have new implants placed or a simultaneous breast lift. During your consultation with Dr. Shermak, you will be able to cover the details of which procedure or combination of procedures you choose and what the cost is.
Many patients can return to work after a few days or a week. Patients whose job involves more strenuous physical activity may need longer, or may need modified duties while they heal.
If your nipples are sitting low on your breasts and the breasts themselves are sagging, a breast lift is needed to reshape and lift the breasts and relocate the nipples higher on the breasts for a perkier look. This is quite common after implant removal. Many women prefer to see how they will look without implants before embarking on a breastlift and this is a very reasonable approach.
