I am 56 years old and am having my explant surgery, after have implants for 30 years

I am 56 years old and am having my explant surgery on July 6th, after have implants for 30 years. My first surgery was in 1982 and a few years later had both implants replaced because of capsules and found they both had ruptured. Have spent the last 10 years with hard uneven breasts. Again I a capular contracture of both breasts, one breast is higher than the other because of this. I went back to the same surgen that put them in and of course he wanted to reimplant with the new cohesive gel ones. He told me that my breast with just hang there if the implants were taken out since its me so long. I went for another opinion. I actually thought I wanted to just have the implants exchanged so I schedules my reimplantion date. When I went in for my preop visit last week I told then I decided that I just wanted them out. I have a appointment on wednesday to see the surgen to discuss if he thinks a lift would be in order. I have asemetrical breast, the reason I had the implants done in the first place. I had a lift on the left breast when the 1st surgery was done. I'm hoping that will make the difference now. I also want to see if he thinking sizing down the areola on the left would make thing more symetrical.(it is larger) I feel really good about my decision to have the implants out after so long. I'm sure my kids will notice, this is how they have know me there whole lives. I had them put in when I was 26, 2 yrs after my twins were born. I'm expecting the worst looking breast one they are taken out. Who's knows maybe i'll be surprise and they won't be so bad. My husband supports my decison, that helps alot. 12 days and counting.

Submitted by Guest (not verified) on Mon, 07/16/2012 - 00:18.

I would love to hear how your surgery went and your post-op experience. I, too, am in my 50's and am seriously considering having my breast implants removed. After breast feeding two children, my breasts shrunk in size and they were already very small. My first surgeon took one look at me and said, "...you're the reason people should get breast implants". They were quite unattractive and almost nonexistent. Year's later, one ruptured and I had to have them replaced and I feel these are even bigger, even though I didn't request them to be so. I also had to have two other surgeries because the left one kept dropping. I think I'm just really tired of having them and always being self-conscious. Like so many other women, I thought they would improve my self-esteem but they didn't. But I am very nervous about what I'll look like once it's done.

Submitted by Guest (not verified) on Tue, 08/07/2012 - 02:36.

Sorry for the late reply(i found it in my spam folder)

My explant surgery was on July 6th so I am 4 weeks post op and feel fantastic. I can't believe your ps talked to you that way. The explant was so much easier than having them put in all those years ago. I had the capsules removed along with the implants. My ps said they really needed to come out of me. The implants weren't ruptured but he said there was alot of silicone bleed through the shell, the capsule had alot of calcification because of it. I don't regret haveing them out at all.I am about 20 pounds heavier than when they were put at age 26, so the extra weight helped the natural breasts to be fuller. I was a A cup before implants and am happy with the results. It really is nice not to have hard rocks on your chest, it's actually easier to breath and so nice to sleep on your stomach again. The doctors always want to reimplant, they tell us how bad we will look, and really we dont look that bad, even after the implants being in for 30 years the skin has tightened back up. I am quite happy with my small breasts now. Have implants was just a road in life that I had to travel. So glad to be free of them.

Have you scheduled to have your implants out yet? You will be amazed at how good you will feel. We tend to look at things a little differently as we get older. Our breasts don't defing who we are, they are just a wrapper. Dont worry how you will look, don't listen to what the surgens say about that. I'm sure you will look great.

Would like to hear what you decide.

Submitted by Kathleen (not verified) on Thu, 08/09/2012 - 03:05.

I am scheduled for an MRI on the 10th then hopefully explant surgery by the end of the month of August. It is so painful having the implants. I have a CC IV with a possible Hematoma. My surgeon, thankfully, is knowledgeable on this procedure and I trust him.I want my body back as it was. I hope silcone (all silicone leaks) that traveled through me didn't ruin my quality of life. It may explain, though, my night sweats and lack of energy among the other pain. I will share all information I have with MRI findings and through my surgery as those facing this like myself will want to know. I want to encourage you to remove breast implants before you face what I am facing. Your health may be at risk. God Bless and thank you for this website, Kathleen

Submitted by Guest (not verified) on Fri, 01/04/2013 - 17:04.

I am so proud of you for explanting. I have had my silicone implants in for 24 years. My left one is in stage 4 capsule cont. and the right is slightly contracted. Wed my ps is explanting and doing a capsulectomy on both breast. I mentioned to him about not putting anymore implants in because I am 56 yrs. old and do not want the have to keep having surgeries. He has plans on implanting me(with silicone) again because of how bad I would look. I to was a 34A that I could not fully fill out and was implanted to a 34C. I have saw a couple of explant pictures on the internet that looked really bad so it makes me very scared to not re-implant but health issues and future surgery issues I have really thought about not doing implants again. Are you still happy with your explant. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Submitted by Guest (not verified) on Fri, 01/18/2013 - 19:38.

It has been 6 months since I explanted and I am still very happy that I did it. Don't let the ps scare you into having implants put back in by telling you how bad you will look. Every week since my explant my breasts look better and better. I am a little larger now than I was preimplant since I have a little extra weight on that I did't have 30 yrs ago. Go to the website www.realself.com and look at the pics of women that have explanted. Afew pics don't look that good, but I would say 99% do. On the home page click on ratings and then go down the list untill you see for breast implant removal. Click into that and you can read so many blog reviews from actual women and alot have pics. Andl no, they are not bags of skin just hanging there. With the progression of time they really fill out nicely. I also have a review on the site.

Submitted by Taylor (not verified) on Sat, 01/19/2013 - 20:33.

Your comments have been so supportive and comforting. My surgery has been delayed twice now but hopefully it is a go for February 22nd. I appreciate you telling me about the RealSelf website - it is great. Initially I saw photos of flat, terribly saggy breasts (bags of skin) and I was ready to cry (I'm not having any more implants or fat moved). Than I found photos that people took 4 to 6 months later and they are looking good. Everyone said, don't let the initial appearance upset you that they will change. Thank you.

Submitted by Cyndi (not verified) on Mon, 02/04/2013 - 03:43.

I'm glad that the realself website helped you. Before I found that site I was prepared to have my implant out and new ones put in, looking at the site and reading alot of reviews really helped me make up my mind not to have implants put back in. It was the best decision that I made. It's be a little over 6 months now since my explant. Did you start a review on the site? If you did let me know under what name and I will follow your progress. Lots of luck on the 22nd.

Submitted by LM (not verified) on Thu, 08/23/2012 - 04:30.

I am 1 week post explantation! What a relief. I am 50 and had my implants for 17 years - so I was very concerned about
what they would look like post surgery. I was always tiny - like a 32AA and I had 225cc silicone implants in. I know that's
a pretty small size, but for me they always were too big, made me look fat (even though I'm 112 lbs) and just weren't me. I was lucky because I didn't have any problems with the implants - no leakage or contraction, but I just hated them!

I am also pleased because I too now have more breast tissue than I did prior to the implants. I love my little A cups! I feel like myself again.

That's not to say my breasts look perfect - they look weird, compressed, and a little dented here and there. And, I now have this
gross extra armpit fat (I guess where the implant stretched it out?) But, all and all I am very happy and hope their appearance will improve.

This site is great! It has helped me so much!

Submitted by Guest (not verified) on Thu, 08/23/2012 - 23:07.

You will probablu see alot better results in the coming weeks. 1 week isn't enough time to tell you what your breasts will look like. I am now 6 weeks post explant and the changes have stopped, so I am at the point where these are the breasts I will have now. Trust me, they change so much in the first 6 weeks.

Submitted by LM (not verified) on Fri, 08/24/2012 - 22:13.

Thanks for your kind words! I am already fine with what I have, so if they continue to get better I'll consider it a bonus!
I am so happy I made this decision - I feel like my authentic self again.

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.