How Much Does Breast Implant Removal Cost?
Breast implants can increase self-confidence and are a solution when dissatisfaction with the size of the bust occurs. Through a breast implant, you can obtain a well-proportioned body and a balanced silhouette. However, there are situations where some women are no longer satisfied with the implants made, so they decide to remove them. This is possible through the process called breast implant removal. Removing the implant is an option for many women who no longer feel comfortable with breast implants.
The purpose of this intervention is to remove breast implants from patients who have performed breast augmentation or patients who want breast reconstruction.
How Much Does Breast Implant Removal Cost?
Breast implant removal costs on average around $5,000, but the price can go up to $14,000 depending on certain factors. These factors include the surgeon’s experience and notoriety, regional location, and what parallel or complementary interventions are needed, or wanted.
For example, in West Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens regions, the average cost for a basic breast implant removal is around $3,600 and $6,200.
What does breast implant removal involve?
The procedure for removing the implant is similar to that of breast augmentation. Total anesthesia will be used, and the surgeon will make an incision either at the breast fold or around the areola. Most of the time, the surgeon will make the incisions directly over the scarred wounds from past operations.
There is a rest period of about 6 weeks, during which any effort will have to be avoided. During this time, you may notice that the breasts seem to be letting go, but in the coming months, the tissue and skin around the breasts will contract and adapt to the absence of the implant.
If in the coming months, the patient is not satisfied with the appearance of the breasts, they will be able to opt for a lift or mastopexy, a process by which the surgeon removes the excess skin from the breasts and lifts the remaining tissue, resulting in firmer breasts that will resemble the breasts before the implants. The procedure can also be combined with a breast lift or removal of scar tissue.
Does insurance cover the cost of breast implant removal?
Breast implant removal will rarely be covered by insurance companies. Even if this is considered a cosmetic procedure, there are some cases like capsular contracture which may be covered by health insurance. The best thing to do is to contact the insurance provider.
You might also like our articles on the cost of surgeries for breast reduction, breast augmentation, or breast lift.
Here are the cases in which breast implant removal can be covered by insurance:
- One must have a certain diagnosis recognized by a specialized doctor
Capsular contracture
Many women, over time, may develop capsular contracture or scar tissue around one or both implants. This can cause pain, tightness, hardening, and abnormal aesthetic changes to the breast. In some cases, capsular contracture can happen several times in the same breast. Apart from the possible response effect of the body, capsular contracture can also occur as a result of complications such as infection, hematoma, or seroma.
Rupture
Saline rupture (leakage and deflation)
If a saline implant breaks, it will begin to lose volume. The saline solution in the implant will drain and reabsorb to the body. This fluid loss can happen suddenly or over the course of a few days.
Silicone rupture (silent rupture)
Silicone implants can also break. Silicone gel is much denser than saline solution. When a silicone implant breaks, the gel often remains inside the implant or surrounding scar tissue. Because of this, the rupture of silicone implants often goes unnoticed, hence the name silent rupture.
Seroma
Seroma is an accumulation of yellowish and viscous fluid around the implant. Although it is a rare complication and occurs in less than 2% of patients, seroma can occur mainly in textured surface implants that have high porosity.
- Besides a medical diagnosis, one will also need imaging or exams to prove it.
- Always keep in touch with the insurance company.
What are the factors that affect the cost of breast implant removal?
When you choose to have breast implant removal surgery, the price is one important thing you think about. But there are other things you should consider, including the clinic you choose, whether it is a specialist in the plastic surgery branch or a general hospital, the doctor’s experience who will operate on you, and his prestige.
In addition to having a significant impact on the total cost of the intervention, it will also help you feel good and comfortable with the idea that you made a good choice.
So it is good to establish from the beginning that breast implant removal will have a total cost that will depend on several factors, including:
- The prestige of the doctor and clinic
- The type of material from which the breast prosthesis is made, as silicone is by far the most common – the price of implants;
- The technique of performing the surgery – sub mammary, areolar or axillary are the 3 techniques often used;
- Other adjacent procedures such as breast lift or other procedures necessary for the correct positioning of implants;
- Anesthesia, which may be local or general, and the surgery itself;
- Hospitalization, it is good to consider at least one day of hospitalization in such an intervention;
- Post-operative check-ups will also contribute to the total price of breast augmentation surgery.
Additional costs
The clinic you choose matters a lot, and in this category, you can also take into account the city in which it is located, transportation, and accommodation. Although these are not part of the breast implant removal price, there are additional costs that you should consider in order to calculate your budget from the start.
Another additional cost to consider is whether you have multiple procedures at the same time.
Breast implant removal usually leaves the breasts asymmetric, less full, and with excess skin. In these cases, most patients opt for fat transfer breast augmentation which costs around $9,500, or for breast lift which costs about $8,200.
What is the life span of a breast implant?
Although breast implants do not have an expiration date, they are not a lifetime investment. Silicone or saline implants, less commonly used, have a lifespan of 10-20 years, but many are changed earlier due to complications or aesthetic problems that occur over time.
Final words!
What you can do is get informed at a few clinics to get an idea of the real cost of such surgery, as well as the prices of breast implant removal.
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