What It’s Really Like to Have Your Implants Removed

This is a totally honest, first-person account of what it’s really like to have your breast implants removed, also known as explanting, and what happens afterwards.

I’ve been getting a LOT of questions since removing my breast implants- Did it hurt a lot? Do you miss them? Do things fit weird? Do you have a lot of scars?

The answer is pretty much a yes to all that, but to varying degrees. So, I’ll go a little more into detail on what it’s really like to go from a big D to a small B overnight, and everything that comes with that.

Why I Had My Implants Removed

You can follow the whole journey here on the blog if you just plug in “explant” in the search bar. The first post is about discovering possible implant ruptures after an ultrasound.

It was one of the many reasons I decided to remove my 20-year-old implants. The other main reason being that at 20, they were basically expired and were due to be replaced anyway. They say you are supposed to replace them every 10-15 years.

I also had capsular contracture and some weird shooting pains, so put all that together and it was time for them to go.

Immediately After Implant Removal

Immediately after waking up from explant surgery, it felt like my chest was on fire. It hurt so bad I couldn’t stop crying. And then I kept crying and wondering what I’d done to myself, while trying to remind myself it would be better for me in the long run. I kept trying to reassure myself I had made the right choice.

I had a lift done at the same time as the removal, so that accounted for the extra amount of pain. They gave me a shot to manage the pain, and it went down from blazing inferno on my chest to an intense but manageable burn. In the days that followed at home, the pain wasn’t as bad as I expected. I guess I got the worst of it out of the way, right away.

I was lucky I did not have drains to deal with, as those are often a part of explanting. I was terrified of having to empty those things, so I specifically searched for a doctor that was known for not using them except when absolutely necessary.

Overall, yes it hurt. And yes, it was worse than getting the implants. The recovery was longer as well. In fact, I didn’t regain the use of my pectoral muscles on my right side until about 6 months after surgery.

Do I Miss My Implants?

One of the #1 questions women ask me, is if I miss my implants. The answer is Yes, but only about 5% of the time.

My clothes fit different. They fit the way that pushed me to get implants in the first place. I’m annoyed every time I try something on, and it fits wonky in the chest. I get a little sad when I remember how easily everything fit before.

And that is when I miss them.

But in my everyday life I love not having them. I enjoy being able to wear comfy little “bralettes” now instead of structured bras. Moving and stretching feels better. I like the feel of my un-augmented body much better.

And I haven’t even tried any of my old cleavage boosting tricks yet. I didn’t want to be shoving and boosting them just yet. I’ve always figured if male drag queens can fake an impressive cleavage, then any woman should be able to do it as well.

So, when I’m ready, I think I’ll be able to figure out how to make my clothes fit the way I want them to, and I’ll miss the implants even less.

Do I Have a Lot of Scars from Explanting?

Yes, right now, I do. You won’t have as many if you don’t do the lift. But I felt I’d rather have scars that will fade and a nice perky set, rather than less scars and droopy pancakes. Not everybody needs the lift! But in my particular situation I think I would have been unhappy with the outcome if I didn’t do it.

They said it could take a year before the explant scars start to look more faded, but they do look better than the first look I got. I nearly buckled at the knees when I first took a look in the mirror and saw all the stitches. I looked flayed and sewn back together, because essentially, I was.

My first thought was “Frankenboobies” and that stayed with me and inspired my stitched-up Halloween looks this year. It was me kind of working through this new self-image and learning to accept it.

If you want to see more of my Bride of Frankenstein/MOMster costume and makeup, click the bold text link and it will open up in my cosplay blog Midnight Pumpkin.

The scars are looking better every week, and other women I have spoken to say the scars are barely noticeable after a while. But right after surgery and for months afterwards they are quite hard not to notice.

Did I Have to Get New Clothes?

You should probably factor this into the overall explant cost- you will have to get some new clothes, swimwear and bras!

I had to get all new bras, swimwear tops and about 1/4 of my clothes don’t look right anymore. But a few things that were too tight in the chest actually look better.

You’ll want to get new bras right away, but don’t get too many. Your size and shape will continue to change and adjust for several months.

I’m still adjusting to my new shape and learning what looks best.

Am I Happy with My Choice?

Some people have asked if I am happy with my choice to have my implants removed, and even though I miss them sometimes, the answer is still Yes. A definite yes.

It’s one less thing to have anxiety over. I feel like that choice to remove or replace and have some big surgery was looming over my head for several years.

I’m glad to be past that part and on to the healing and being healthier. And just being me.

And that’s what it’s really like to have your implants removed. It’s painful, and emotional, and you need to give yourself some time to adjust to your new self.

It is weird to look in the mirror and it looks like your face with someone else’s chest. Someone who went through some serious stuff.

You may experience some grief over the loss of your previous self and all the identity that is wrapped up in the shape of your body. And it’s ok to let yourself feel that and move past it. Try not to wallow in it.

I’m still navigating this new shape. Some days it makes me smile and some days it makes me sad or angry. Mostly when I pull something out of the closet and know how well it used to fit.

Unexpected Explant Benefits

One thing that has really proven to me that explanting was a very good choice, is the fact that I don’t have “allergies” anymore. For the last 20 years I haven’t been able to breathe out of my nose and was constantly stopped up.

I took Allegra D and Flonase almost every day just to try and combat what I thought were seasonal allergies that just never went away. I even wrote about fighting those allergies here on the blog.

Within two weeks after removing the breast implants, my nose cleared up and I could breathe clearly without any medication. It’s been six months now, and I haven’t needed any allergy meds at all. I still have an unopened box of Allegra!

It’s pretty crazy to think that for 20 years my body was trying to fight off the foreign objects I had implanted in my chest.

Explanting Support

Making the decision to remove your implants is a big one, and some people (like your husband) may not be the biggest supporters of the idea. I was talked out of it the first time I brought it up; after experiencing some weird pains and thinking it might be time for the implants to go.

It was another couple of years and a possible rupture before being brave enough to bring it up again. I finally found the support I needed through a Facebook group for explanting.

Everyone in the group was very understanding and ready to answer my questions. I also found my surgeon through recommendations in the group.

Remember, your health is more important than how your clothes fit. If you feel like it’s time for the implants to go, it’s probably time. Listen to your body, not what anybody else is saying.

You’ll have your ups and downs after explanting. It’s a long process of healing and self-acceptance. I’m still working through it myself. But in the end, I am completely secure in knowing I made the best choice for me.

If you do end up explanting, check out my post with all the things I got to help make the experience go as smooth as possible: Preparing for Explant Surgery.

And if you would like to find a Facebook support group, this is the one I am part of: Breast Implant Illness Florida Support Group. There are tons though, so you can search for one in your area.

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