Are you thinking about getting your implants taken out? Implant removal without replacement has become more popular, due in part to the change in lifestyles and values post-Covid. For many, life has become more casual and authentic, and large breasts are no longer needed to make a statement or to create a certain look.
What happens after implants are removed?
If no remedial surgery is done, the implant pocket shrinks up, leaving the remaining skin and breast tissue misshapen and irregular. What once looked decent can turn into a real problem. Lots of ladies don’t want scars, though, and the thought of replacing the mostly scarless breast with a patchwork of incisions is daunting.
In 2009, Dr. Diane Duncan came up with the concept of nearly scarless breast lifting by combining tumescent infusion of the breast with subcutaneous radiofrequency tissue tightening. She has trademarked the name “PerkyLift”, which remains exclusive to her practice. The PerkyLift process also uses internal PDO suspension threads in most cases to generate more lift and to hold the tissue securely while new collagen ingrowth takes place. These lifts have been used in combination with breast augmentation, breast reduction without scars, breast lifts in small to medium-sized cases, and for patients who have uneven breasts.
Recently, Dr. Duncan has devised a way to incorporate a PerkyLift in Fort collins, with implant removal for qualifying patients. The old augmentation incision (usually inframammary) is used to remove the implant and capsule or implant pocket. The internal space is closed, and tissue is stitched internally so that drooping is corrected as much as possible. RF energy is used to stimulate collagen growth within the adipose tissue so that a new support scaffold is created. Then PDO suspension threads are placed.
Because the remaining skin and breast tissue are stretched out after implant removal, healing generally takes a bit longer than other variations of the PerkyLift. Three types of support are needed because there is no skin excision. Internally, sutures are used to fasten the tissue together in a lifted position. Suspension sutures also hold the tissue in place. External kinesiology tape is used to support the skin, and the patient wears a support bra in order to mold and shape the breasts while healing.
The shape “sets” over a 3-4 month period of time, and the final result can take up to a year to become fully defined. This is not a quick and easy process, but the long-term outcome is worth it for those who want as much restoration of their youthful shape without new scars.
38-year-old 20 years after breast implant placement 4 months following implant removal and PerkyLift
51-year-old with saline implant deflation, right 4 months following implant removal and PerkyLift
