Breast implant removal in San Francisco is a surgical procedure to remove the breast implant and the capsule or scar tissue surrounding the breast implant. This is the same for both silicone and normal saline breast implants.
San Francisco plastic surgeon Dr. Miguel Delgado is a breast implant/breast augmentation revision specialist. He has performed thousands of breast surgeries in Sonoma County and Marin County and has a special interest and expertise in breast implant revision surgery. Dr. Delgado also has a dedicated breast revision website: breastrevisionsanfrancisco.com.
If a patient complains of breast implant illness symptoms, these patients need to be taken seriously. The symptoms that they experience are real, and whether the symptoms are related to the breast implants is not relevant since it cannot be proved or disproved. There are a variety of options that a patient can consider. One option is a thorough medical work-up, possibly including a consultation with a Rheumatologist. Another option is to wait and observe the symptoms over time.
The surgical options would include removing the breast implant without taking out the capsule, removing the implant with a capsulectomy, or removal with en bloc capsulectomy. Patients with BII have symptoms that cannot be defined into any disease entity. These patients require a complete medical evaluation because they have genuine symptoms. The available options for breast implant removal in San Francisco need to be discussed with Dr. Delgado to determine the best alternative.
The body recognizes the breast implant as foreign. Consequently, the body immediately walls off the implant with a capsule composed of scar tissue. This scar tissue formation can be paper-thin and pliable or very thick and constricting. Science shows that a “bio-film” surrounding the breast implant causes thick capsule formation. The bio-film is seeded with bacteria, causing a low-grade inflammation that results in increased scar formation. This low-grade inflammation is local to the breast and does not affect the whole body, so no illness results.
As a patient ages, her activity may be restricted by the implants or the body fat content may increase in the breasts to the point that the breasts become too large. Some women simply change their desired look and no longer want the look of larger breasts. No matter your reason, you can schedule a consultation for breast reduction in Novato, Marin County with Dr. Delgado to remove your wanted implants.
A patient may want to increase or decrease her breast size, which is done with the removal of old and placement of new breast implants.
A breast lift with breast implant exchange is common for women in Marin County, Sonoma County, and the San Francisco area.
As a general statement, the rupture rate is 1% per year, beginning after five years. Even though it is rare for Dr. Delgado’s patients, it can occur. Ruptured implants will give the breasts a “deflated” look and need to be replaced.
Some women feel the implants are causing unwanted changes to their bodies and need to have the implants removed.
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BIA-ALCL is the acronym for Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma. BIA-ALCL is an extremely rare, highly treatable type of lymphoma that develops around the capsule of the breast implant. This is mainly associated with textured-surfaced breast implants. Despite its association with the breasts, BIA-ALCL is not breast cancer—but rather a cancer of the immune system that is usually curable.
BII is the acronym for Breast Implant Illness. There are women with breast implants—either silicone or normal saline—who self-identify various symptoms, believing them to be caused by their implants. They refer to these symptoms as Breast Implant Illness (BII). The symptoms vary, including brain fog, tiredness, fatigue, headaches, chills, hair loss, chronic pain, body odor, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, neurologic issues, and hormonal issues.
An en bloc resection aims to remove the breast implant and the scar capsule in one piece. A larger incision is required to accomplish this, so treatment cannot be performed through the armpit, areola, or belly button incision methods.
By taking the implant and capsule out as one contained piece, there is no spillage of the content inside of the capsule. This must be performed very carefully because the scar capsule is in contact with muscles, ribs, and the space between the ribs in direct contact with the lungs. Once the en bloc removal is complete, a drain is placed, and the incision is closed.
Breast implant removal in Marin County—such as an en bloc—does require some recovery. The body is rid of the entire scar capsule, so a large amount of raw tissue needs to heal. The pain and discomfort will depend on the damage to the remaining tissue, so it is different for everyone. The drain will be removed when the fluid output reduces, so it will not build up inside. This usually takes about three to seven days. Depending on your type of work, you may return in 10–14 days, and you will likely be able to resume exercise after approximately four weeks or so.
This is the most often asked question for a woman who wants to remove her breast implants altogether. The answer depends on the following:
It is difficult to predict how the skin will respond after the breast implants are removed. The older you are—and the more stretch marks and sun damage there are—the fewer skin contraction properties you will have. The larger your breasts and breast implants, the more effect gravity will have on the skin.
The longer the implants are in place, the more your skin is stretched. This is called “tissue expansion.” The skin will thin as it stretches.
If you have had children, the breastfeeding cycles stretch the skin permanently. The more children that you have, the more the skin will stretch. Weight loss and gain can stretch the skin and reduce the contractility qualities of the skin.
If the breast implants are on top of the muscle, this will affect your skin’s stretching. The submuscular placement of the implants holds the implants’ position with a reduced effect on the skin.
Dr. Delgado has helped many women achieve their ideal breasts with breast implant removal in Napa Valley, Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, Marin County, and the San Francisco area. For more information about breast implant removal, or if you are interested in scheduling a consultation with Dr. Delgado to discuss your options, please contact our practice today.
How much does breast implant removal cost?
What is the chance of developing breast implant illness?
Are there any tests to diagnose the connection between breast implants and BII?
Is there any scientific data to link breast implants to BII symptoms?
Will breast implant removal cure or improve the symptoms for women who have been diagnosed with medical illnesses like an autoimmune disorder?
The exact cost of breast implant removal depends on the patient's anatomy and what exactly is being done. You will receive a personal price quote for your breast implant removal procedure during your consultation with Dr. Delgado.
There are no known risks because there is no obvious link between women’s symptoms and implants, and there is no viable testing. Many of the symptoms described by patients with breast implants are seen in the general population with implants or without. This is not to say that there is no connection, but one has not been established at this time. However, patients should be informed about BIA-ALCL and the associated symptoms. As described above, this is a lymphoma and not a cancer of the breast tissue.
Unfortunately, there is no diagnostic testing for BII.
This issue has been investigated by the Institute of Medicine Committee on the safety of silicone breast implants, which dates back to 1999. The thorough review of the available studies concluded no clear link between silicone implants and systemic sickness. There have also been studies looking at the link to autoimmune disease, and again, no connection has been determined. So, the symptoms of patients with silicone implants have displayed no laboratory abnormalities to define a distinct sickness.
A variety of studies show different degrees of temporary and permanent improvement of symptoms. No studies show which symptoms may or may not be improved with implant removal with or without capsulectomy. The lack of evidence does not mean that patients with breast implant symptoms are not real. Some patients have significant concerns about a potential link between symptoms and breast implants. Further research is needed.
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