Feel Like Your Natural Self Again With Breast Implant Removal

Unwanted breast implants can be removed. Many women postpone the decision to do so because they fear the appearance of their breasts will suffer as a result. As a board-certified plastic surgeon who provides breast implant removal in Miami, Dr. Joshua Lampert wants to put those fears to rest.

woman with long brown hair and a necklace on Real Patient

Why Remove Breast Implants?

More and more women are requesting to have their implants removed. They want to look and feel natural again and want to rid themselves of the excess weight. Some women find it difficult to sleep in certain positions because of their implants. Others find that their implants are interfering with sports activities.

Medically, implants must be removed if they rupture and in cases of significant capsular contracture. They can be replaced with the same type of implant, i.e. silicone gel, or they can opt to have saline implants used instead. More and more women are choosing to forgo any implant replacement, choosing to go back to their natural size.

Breast Implant Removal Procedure Overview

Dr. Lampert speaking with a female patient

Before & After Breast Implant Removal in Miami with Dr. Lampert

View More

Seeking a Breast Implant Removal Surgeon?

A breast implant is not a lifetime device. At some point, it will be necessary to remove and replace aging implants. At this point, some women opt to use other methods of breast augmentation, such as fat transfer with an internal breast lift or just a breast lift alone. Still others want to increase or decrease the size of the implants due to personal reasons. Implant replacement without the need to correct complications can be a relatively short procedure. If there are other issues such as capsular contracture or significant implant malposition, the surgery will take longer to correct this problem.

In the interest of delivering breast revision, Dr. Lampert, a board-certified plastic surgeon, takes all the time necessary to ensure the correct procedure is chosen. All of his patients want to have an aesthetically pleasing, feminine appearance. Patients naturally fear they will look flat or deflated if they remove their implants. There are other options to implants, such as having a mastopexy, which surgically lifts the breast to a more youthful position.

Banner media

What Will My Breast Implant Removal Consultation Entail?

During your private consultation for breast implant removal in Miami, Dr. Lampert will explain the procedure in detail and will give you ample time to ask questions and voice any concerns you may have. Your consultation is never rushed, and you will never be “upsold” on any treatments.

Discover Your Options

This time is reserved for you to gain confidence in your decision to pursue breast implant removal and find out all the options available to you so that you can look and feel your very best. During the consultation for implant removal surgery, the patient's prior breast surgery history, prior breast implant size, prior breast cup size, any medical conditions, and prior breast imaging studies are heavily scrutinized. Ideally, the more information Dr. Lampert has, the better he can take every advantage to give the very best recommendations and obtain the very best results. Ideally, this includes obtaining prior operative reports and breast implant information and cards (if available.)

Evaluate Your Goals

A complete breast exam is performed with standardized breast measurements. During this time, the problem is assessed and the patient's goals evaluated. In order to best communicate realistic expectations and the various procedure options, doctor and patient together review a PowerPoint slide show of various prior explanted patients with different-sized breasts and breast implants removed. This helps to communicate visually what patients with similar breast size and body habitus face with implant removal. It also helps illustrate the benefit of a simultaneous breast lift and/or breast fat transfer procedure.

 Dr. Lampert’s World-Class Facility

After answering all of the patient’s questions, the patient is encouraged to tour the surgical facility, which is AHCA-accredited. It is a true Ambulatory Surgery Center and is staffed only by safe and experienced board-certified anesthesiologist doctors. Any questions are always run by them after any necessary medical clearance by a primary care doctor. Safety is first and foremost with every patient, but some of our breast explant patients have more medical issues and require a more extensive preoperative work-up for clearance. Dr. Lampert puts great confidence in his board-certified anesthesiologist doctors.

Banner media

Options After Breast Implant Removal Surgery Fat Transfer with Breast Lift

Some patients are good candidates for fat transfer (or fat grafting) to the breast. This procedure uses excess fat taken from the patient’s body, often combined with an internal breast lift. This technique has allowed women to confidently decide to go back to their natural, implant-free breasts. Fat transfer creates a natural breast augmentation with no risk of capsular contracture.

This procedure has a double benefit of using excess fat from areas of the body such as the thighs, buttocks, flanks, and stomach. Fat is harvested through liposuction techniques and then purified and artistically injected and grafted into the breast. In this way, the breasts are augmented with fat from areas that benefit from the removal of excess fat.

Schedule A Consultation

In-Office Virtual
Contact us media

Before Breast Implant Removal Surgery

Patients are seen in initial consultation prior to surgery, and a surgical plan is developed based on the patient’s goals. Once the surgery day is decided, Dr. Lampert typically sees patients back for another question and answer session. When applicable, any preoperative work-up or breast imaging is reviewed. Any required blood work not obtained by the patient's primary doctor is obtained by one of our registered nurses also during this visit.

Photographs for preoperative planning are taken during this visit. (These photos are never shared without informed consent from the patient but are always taken for preoperative planning and intra-operative reference.) Prescriptions are written for the patent this day also, so they can fill them prior to surgery. Written instructions are given and reviewed. These are repeated again the day of surgery. 

During Breast Implant Removal

The patient has nothing to eat or drink after midnight the evening before surgery. Our team meets the patient at the door on the day of surgery and escorts them and their family to the preoperative waiting area. There they will meet their breast implant removal surgeon, Dr. Lampert. With the help of his nurse, he will perform the necessary markings, usually while the patient is standing. Dr. Lampert likes the patients to bring in their favorite style of bikini or bra top to evaluate their breasts both in and out of clothing while creating the surgical markings. (he always wants the scars to be hidden by the bikini top, and many South Florida women like the triangle bikinis!)

Draftsmanship 

Good surgical plan draftsmanship (i.e., the surgical markings) takes a little time, but once marked, the patient is allowed to get comfy. They can lay back in one of our recovery beds and get comfortable under a warm blanket provided by the nurse. The patient and family next meet the second most important doctor that day, the board-certified anesthesiologist. After the anesthesiologist's interview and exam, the paperwork is completed, and all questions are answered. Once this phase is complete, "premedication" is given in the form of an intravenous sedative that usually makes the patient feel "warm and fuzzy."

Premedication

People frequently say that this "premedication" makes them feel less anxious and is similar to a "strong margarita or a pina colada." After giving any family or friends present a big hug, the patient, warm blanket, and the surgical team wheel into the operating room where soft music is playing (music is always subject to change based on the patient's request.) Once in the operating room, the surgical team helps the patient slide over to the well-padded operating room bed (or table.) Anesthesia is gently administered by the anesthesiologist doctor, with Dr. Lampert and his team assisting.

Stay Up To Date

During surgery, the patient's family or friend contact person is notified every hour, typically via text, of the procedure’s progress. Patient family or friends can wait in the family waiting area, surf the internet, or watch live-streamed television or movies while they wait. Alternatively, family or friends can return to work, do social activities, or even go shopping at the award-winning mall nearby while they wait. Dr. Lampert will constantly update them when it is time to come back. 

Banner media

After the Procedure

After surgery is complete and the patient is more awake, they are taken to the post-anesthesia recovery room by Dr. Lampert, the anesthesiologist doctor, and the registered nurse. Once in recovery, the nurse usually requires about 20 minutes to work with the patient and help them further wake. After this time, the patient's family member or friend is escorted back into the recovery area to greet them again. Our nursing team will again go over any postoperative instructions, review any drain management questions, and confirm any necessary postoperative visits at this time. The patient usually has to stay in recovery for about an hour prior to being discharged.

Our nursing team will show the family how to help the patient up out of bed and will help escort the patient via wheelchair to the family member or friend's car in the first-floor parking area. Written instructions and contact phone numbers are provided to the family member or friend taking care of the patient as well.  Some patients undergoing multiple procedures such as breast implant removal, lift, and fat grafting may decide to stay overnight for 24-hour observation in Dr. Lampert’s plush post-anesthesia recovery unit. Patients that choose to stay overnight stay with a registered nurse and a second plastic surgery team member. Their family then comes to pick them up the next morning.

Breast Implant Removal Recovery Timeline

  • Day 1: The first day after surgery check-up is either performed in person or via video conferencing (i.e., Face Time or Whatsapp, depending on patient preference.)
  • Week 1: Typically the patient is evaluated within one week post-op in person. If drains were placed, Dr. Lampert will often remove them at this time, depending on the amount of drainage. Wounds are checked, and a surgical bra is placed. Fat transfer breast patients are placed in a compression garment or faja if not already wearing one.
  • Week 2 : Patients are seen 2 weeks after surgery. Any loose surgical tapes (i.e., steri strips) are removed, and wounds are again checked.
  • Month 1: Patients are usually seen 1 month after surgery. The surgical bra fit is checked. The healing progress is evaluated, and light lower-body exercise is usually permitted at this time while in a supportive sports bra. Any necessary massage protocols are started.
  • Month 2: Gradual, more strenuous exercise is permitted at the breast explant surgeon's discretion.
  • Month 3: Patients are often still swollen and sometimes have not softened. Scars are usually still pink. Dr. Lampert will evaluate this process and may take early post-op photos to document your progress. He likes the patient in a gently compressive bra for 3 months after surgery to help splint the healing breast and maintain the best breast shape possible.
  • Month 6: Now you are closer to seeing what you will get with your ultimate end result. Dr. Lampert usually takes early post-op follow-up photos.
  • Year 1: Dr. Lampert likes to see his patients for long-term follow-up. He typically takes photos to monitor progress and likes to see his patients yearly in order to evaluate the long-term postoperative results. He likes to see how his results hold up and stand the test of time! This yearly check-up also encourages patients to stay on top of any recommended breast imaging.

Schedule A Consultation

In-Office Virtual
Real Patient Contact us media

Why Choose Dr. Lampert?

When a woman has decided to remove her breast implants, Dr. Lampert respects her decision and informs her of the potential treatment options. Having extensive experience with breast reconstruction and breast revision surgery and being one of the first surgeons in Miami dedicated to the explant community, he has significant experience with total en-bloc capsulectomy procedures as well as ancillary procedures to help better shape the breast after implant removal. Prior to the now more current widespread acceptance and even popularity of breast implant removal surgery, Dr. Lampert was one of the few surgeons in Florida providing this procedure to patients desiring implant removal. His practice became a regional referral center for patients with breast implant problems, as most other surgeons at that time would not remove breast implants and perform en-bloc capsulectomy!

Doctor media Black Wood Grain Background
Castle Connolly Top Doctors 2023 logo Fellow American College of Surgeons logo RealSelf Hall of Fame logo RealSelf Top Doctor logo American Board of Plastic Surgery logo American Society of Plastic Surgeons logo Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine logo The Aesthetic Society logo

An End To The Pain

Breast implant removal and explant surgery has a very high level of patient satisfaction. When appropriately evaluated and counseled, Dr. Lampert’s postoperative explant patients seem to be some of the happiest people he sees on a daily basis. Frequently, they had significant, sometimes debilitating pain from their breast implants that is almost always completely resolved at a year post-op. 

Breast implant-associated pain is the number one symptom that can be improved with explant surgery. Relieving someone's pain so they can play sports again, return back to work, comb their daughter's hair again, and just go back to a normal way of living -- that brings a level of satisfaction to Dr. Lampert that is immeasurable. 

Abstract painting

Dealing With Breast Implant Illness

For patients suffering from breast implant illness-related symptoms, it is a little more difficult because you cannot currently perform a diagnostic test to determine when patients "need their breast implants out." Breast implant illness is a diagnosis of exclusion. The explant has to be performed in order to see if the patient improves. It is a big step and a big decision. Dr. Lampert always spends time educating the patient on this decision-making process.

Sometimes the patient is sent by their rheumatologist or another doctor who is encouraging and recommending explant surgery. Other times, the patient has symptoms and has seen multiple other doctors with no direction, and desperately will do anything to feel better. And some explant patients are just sick of feeling lousy and want to get their breast implants out without getting the run-around and an overwhelming number of "shotgun referrals."

Regardless, the overwhelmingly vast majority of breast implant illness patients state that they feel better when Dr. Lampert removes their breast implants and capsules.

Dr. Lampert’s Mammary Imbrication Lift And Fixation Technique

When he first started doing explants and total en bloc capsulectomy, Dr. Lampert did them for "hard indications" like silicone ruptures and hard, painful calcifications. As he developed his Mammary Imbrication Lift and Fixation Technique, he realized how safe the procedure was and started doing explant total en bloc capsulectomy this way for breast implant illness patients and really any patient requesting the procedure once appropriately educated. Now he does the vast majority of explants this way.

Woman with long brown hair and blue eyes
En Bloc Capsulectomy

En Bloc Capsulectomy

En bloc capsulectomy is specialized surgical procedure for breast implant removal, in which the implant and the scar tissue capsule are removed in one piece.

Woman wearing black lacy undergarments
Fat Transfer After Breast Implant Removal

Fat Transfer After Breast Implant Removal

While many women still desire the rounded, voluptuous look of breast implants, many are now choosing to go a more natural route using a simple fat transfer procedure to augment the chest.

Taking the Next Step

Trust your breast implant removal surgery with a leading board-certified plastic surgeon for the best possible results. Dr. Lampert specializes only in plastic surgery. He is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. With thousands of hours of experience under his belt, he is a skilled breast implant removal surgeon that consistently helps patients reach their goals.

Background media

Breast Implant Removal FAQ

Is Breast Explant Safe?

Breast explant surgery should be safer than driving your car when performed by an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon and overseen by an equally competent doctor of anesthesia.

En Bloc Capsulectomy

Safe en bloc capsulectomy takes more time and skill than simple breast implant removal or partial capsule removal. En-bloc capsulectomy often requires a breast lift incision or a larger breast fold incision when performed in order to adequately visualize important surrounding structures during capsule separation and in order to get out the en-bloc capsule and implant "in one piece without rupture." En bloc capsulectomy is ideal if there is any question of silicone implant rupture, significant fluid accumulation, extensive calcification, or a breast implant illness diagnosis. Many patients request this as well for various reasons. Many surgeons have voiced and even published their concerns about total en bloc capsulectomy safety, especially in submuscular breast implant patients.

The Mammary Imbrication Lift And Fixation Technique

Fortunately, Dr. Lampert has extensive breast reconstruction education and experience to fall back on. Utilizing this, he was able to develop the Mammary Imbrication Lift and Fixation Technique, which is his current method to safely perform en bloc total capsulectomy with implant removal and subsequent skin tailoring to shape the breast. The Mammary Imbrication Lift and Fixation Technique that he invented to deal with this problem allows safe total en bloc capsulectomy with submuscular breast implants and can be combined with simultaneous fat grafting, should the patient desire.

Simultaneous Breast Lift

After breast implant removal, the breast is often significantly deflated with loose skin. This is of higher risk with small-breasted patients who are removing larger implants. In these patients, collapse of the lower pole can occur, leading to rippled, irregular breast skin and even inversion or indentation at or near the nipple and areola. Breast fold deformity can occur as well. The most powerful maneuver to decrease deformity risk after implant removal in these patients is often a simultaneous breast lift.

Fat Transfer

Adjunct low-pressure liposuction with fat grafting to the breast provides another useful tool for the surgeon to optimize the breast aesthetic without an implant. In order to visualize the patient's breast tissue and any post-explant breast droop, Dr. Lampert always sits the explant and breast lift patient up in the OR several times during the surgery. He does this in order to see how the breast will look when standing. He places a drain to collapse the large pocket or space left behind when the implant and capsule have been removed. He then tailors any excess skin and tries to visualize regions of the breast that will require fat transfer, when applicable. He is also constantly referencing the nipple and areola position while the patient is upright. These steps take significant time but should not be skipped if the surgeon wants to best control the final aesthetic result.

Evaluating Patient Safety

Patient safety must always be evaluated and assessed perpetually. Every measure should be taken to always improve it. No cost should be spared when it comes to patient safety. It is expensive to afford the safest equipment, best medications, and most experienced doctors, nurses, surgical assistants, and medical professionals. But frequently in life, you get what you pay for. Explant and breast revision surgery is no exception!

Dr. Lampert’s Federally Certified Asc

Dr. Lampert performs all of his procedures at the hospital or his Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC), Miami Surgery, LLC, which is Federally Certified by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), the same agency that licenses all of the best hospitals in the state. It is currently one of only three other plastic surgery ASCs in Miami-Dade County Certified by AHCA, and as such, Dr. Lampert is held to the highest standards. Having control of his own ambulatory surgery center, he is able to provide patients the advantage of many surgical technologies and a higher quality of equipment that is not available at the hospital. Dr. Lampert has equipped his facility with the latest breast surgery and safety equipment, including a smoke evacuation system, high-definition imaging devices, LED lighting and visualization technology, power-assisted liposuction, video laryngoscopy, and much more. See the following link for details: https://www.lampertmd.com/

Choosing The Right Plastic Surgeon

Aesthetic results and safety metrics are ultimately the best when the given surgeon takes their time to ensure they did their best, remained detail-oriented, and cut no corners to get there. The fast procedure is often not the right procedure, although it may be the cheaper one. When interviewing a plastic surgeon, ask them how many times they sit you up during surgery. Ask them how much time they typically spend performing a procedure. If they pride themselves on sheer numbers, volume, and being fast, then they might not be the right surgeon for you! As with every creative, detail-oriented process, good work takes time.

Can Breast Explant Be Combined With Other Procedures?

Breast Lift

When seeing a breast explant patient for the first time, Dr. Lampert always discusses the potential for a simultaneous breast lift (or mastopexy) and areola reduction surgery, if indicated. Breast droop, the amount of breast tissue, and the size of the breast implant being removed are all taken into account when making this decision. During the exam, any breast droop is measured and demonstrated to the patient in the mirror. Simultaneous breast lift, or mastopexy, is probably the most common ancillary procedure performed with breast explant surgery. This typically includes an areola reduction with the mastopexy design. Dr. Lampert likes to keep the breast lift scars "as small as possible" and is always trying to keep them within a patient's triangle-shaped bikini line, as these garments are very popular for the beaches and pool parties year-round in South Florida! Dr. Lampert typically prefers to use the lollipop or his "mini anchor" scar as part of his Mammary Imbrication Lift and Fixation Technique, which is the current method he invented to safely perform en bloc total capsulectomy with implant removal and subsequent skin tailoring to shape the breast. He always wants to keep scars hidden while in a bikini or low-plunging dress!

Fat Transfer

Some patients elect to undergo fat transfer or fat grafting to the breast at the same time, which is a helpful tool to further shape and contour the area. Some of the fat grafted to the breast develops a blood supply and survives for the lifetime of the patient. Other grafted fat cells are absorbed by the body and disappear. Current estimates range from 40-60% fat graft survival when grafted by an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon. Breast fat transfer (or fat grafting to the breast) can be performed the same day of surgery or in a staged fashion several months later after scars mature and heal. There is a limit to how much fat grafting each breast "will hold." Trying to graft too much fat at once can lead to increased risk of fat necrosis or areas of fat that die. Fat necrosis can cause lumps, infection, and pain, so judicious fat transfer by an experienced surgeon is important. Some patients have little fat deposits or desire to only harvest fat for breast shaping. Other patients desire entire body contouring procedures like 360-degree liposuction. For some of these patients, a significant excess of fat may be harvested. These patients must be made aware that excess fat harvested cannot be saved and refrigerated and often must be thrown out as biohazard. Studies have shown that banked, frozen, and refrigerated fat currently will not survive compared to fresh and immediately grafted fat cells, which have a much higher survival rate. Bigger breasts and larger breast augmentation volumes with more fat graft survival can be obtained with repeat (or staged) fat grafting surgeries spread apart by at least 3 months. The patient comes back and has a repeat fat graft surgery after the initial surgery. Fat transfer is performed repeatedly to augment the breast and replace the fat that was absorbed by the body. If approximately 50% of the fat is lost every time, in theory then 75% of the volume can be achieved with a second session of fat grafting. A third session of fat grafting can potentially yield even more, so the staged approach with multiple smaller surgeries is sometimes the best when patients are motivated to have larger breasts without using breast implants. Ultimately these patients often achieve amazing improvements in body contour, but it is a more gradual approach. Often in breast explant reconstructive surgery, multiple staged surgeries can help provide patients with the best possible end result.

Other Procedures

Many patients decide to "take advantage" of the downtime, anesthesia, and surgery day in order to undergo other desired elective surgical procedures at the same time in combination with their breast explant surgery. These include rhinoplasty (nose job), labiaplasty (vaginal rejuvenation), eyelid lifts (blepharoplasty), abdominal etching, and of course, the common mommy makeover, which includes some form of abdominoplasty. A number of procedures can be performed on the same day. Depending on the exact surgical procedures desired and estimated length of time, Dr. Lampert will then make recommendations regarding which procedures can be performed together for that individual. Too much surgery in one day is never a good idea, as Dr. Lampert puts safety first. Each patient is different and must be evaluated individually. A good surgeon will be able to tell the patient how many and what kind of procedures can be combined during the same day of surgery.

Do most insurance plans cover Explants?

Some insurance plans cover the removal of the capsule (total/Capsulectomy) and with that comes the implant. We have had great luck with insurances like United, Aetna and Cigna, PPO and Open Access plans.

Does insurance cover removal for BII or only rupture?

Health insurance does not cover total capsulectomy with a BII Diagnosis. The covered diagnosis is Breast Pain and Capsular Contrature.

When does insurance cover this procedure? What's often excluded?

Health insurance will cover a total capsulectomy when painful capsules/breasts are present. If your breast pain prevents you from doing daily life activities your insurance may cover it!

How do you know if your insurance covers it?

You can schedule a consultation with Dr. Lampert to assess your symptoms and determine if your insurance will authorize it.

Which insurance companies cover the most?

Insurance carriers we have worked with for breast implant removal:

  • UHC
  • AETNA
  • CIGNA

You can also call your insurance and ask if CPT CODE 19371 is a covered benefit!

Does the insurance cover an explant surgery?

Insurance will help cover: total capsulectomy and muscle repair. They do not cover the breast lift or fat transfer.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Ad alias animi commodi distinctio doloremque eum exercitationem facilis in ipsum iusto magnam, mollitia pariatur praesentium rem repellat temporibus veniam vitae voluptatum.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Ad alias animi commodi distinctio doloremque eum exercitationem facilis in ipsum iusto magnam, mollitia pariatur

Button

cta sub

*The content/images on this website are not a guarantee of individual results. Individual results may vary. The information provided on this site is for general informational purposes only, and does not replace the need for a formal consultation.

Accessibility: If you are vision-impaired or have some other impairment covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act or a similar law, and you wish to discuss potential accommodations related to using this website, please contact our Accessibility Manager at (786) 735-9275.
Contact Us