Breast implant removal / replacement
Surgery to take out breast implants — sometimes together with the scar-tissue capsule around them — and either leave them out or replace them with new ones.
✓ Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant · last reviewed September 2026 · next review September 2027 · how we review
In short
- Implants can be removed, exchanged for new ones, or removed with the surrounding capsule; your surgeon should explain which you need and why.
- After removal without replacement, breasts are usually smaller and may look loose or droop, sometimes needing a lift to improve shape.
- UK regulators (MHRA) do not recommend removing implants just because of the small risk of BIA-ALCL or of symptoms labelled 'breast implant illness' in someone without specific symptoms — but you should be assessed if you have concerns.
- Removal surgery carries greater risks than the original operation; choose a GMC-registered surgeon working at a clinic registered with your nation's healthcare regulator — the CQC in England, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales, or the RQIA in Northern Ireland — and expect two-stage consent with a cooling-off period.
A plain-English summary. The detail — including risks and recovery — is below.
At a glance
A general guide. Your surgeon will give you advice for your situation.
Removes a ruptured, hardened or uncomfortable implant
You expect your breasts to look exactly as they did before you ever had implants — removal cannot guarantee this.
Expect soreness, swelling and bruising. You wear a supportive bra and avoid lifting and reaching. Drains, if used, are usually removed in the first days.
A named contact and clear route to urgent help.
Expect soreness, swelling and bruising. You wear a supportive bra and avoid lifting and reaching. Drains, if used...
Bruising fades and many return to desk work and gentle activity, still avoiding strenuous exercise and heavy...
Most people gradually return to normal activity and exercise as advised. The breast shape is still settling.
Swelling fully settles and the final breast shape and scar appearance develop. After removal without replacement...
What is breast implant removal or replacement?
This is surgery to remove breast implants. The implants may simply be taken out (explantation), taken out and replaced with new ones (exchange), or removed along with the surrounding scar-tissue capsule the body has formed around them (capsulectomy). 'En bloc' removal means taking out the implant and capsule together as one.
People choose this for many reasons: an implant has ruptured or hardened (capsular contracture), the shape has changed over time, they no longer want implants, or they have symptoms they associate with their implants. Implants do not last a lifetime, so some replacement or removal over the years is common.
When implants are removed and not replaced, the breasts will look different — usually smaller, and sometimes loose or drooping, especially if the implants were large or had been in for a long time. A lift (mastopexy) is sometimes needed to improve shape. Your surgeon should be honest about how your breasts are likely to look afterwards.
Types & techniques
There isn't one single operation. The right approach depends on you — which is something to discuss with your surgeon.
Options at a glance
These are the main approaches described in this guide. The right option depends on the diagnosis, your goals and what your clinician thinks is safe.
Implant removal (explantation) only
The implants are taken out and not replaced. Breasts will usually look smaller and may droop, depending on implant size and how long they were in.
Implant removal with capsulectomy
The implant and some or all of the surrounding scar-tissue capsule are removed. Used for hardening (capsular contracture), some ruptures, or particular concerns. Removing the...
En bloc removal
The implant and capsule are removed together as one unit. Often requested for ruptured implants or peace of mind; it is more involved and not always necessary or possible.
Implant exchange (replacement)
Old implants are removed and new ones placed, sometimes with a change in size, type or position. May be combined with a lift.
Preparing for your surgery
- See the operating surgeon (a GMC-registered plastic surgeon), who should assess you, review your original implant details if available, and obtain your consent.
- Expect a two-stage consent process with a cooling-off period of at least two weeks.
- Be clear about your goal — removal only, replacement, or removal with a lift — as the operation and result differ.
- Discuss honestly how your breasts are likely to look afterwards, especially if implants are large or longstanding.
- Bring any records of your original surgery, including implant type and any history of rupture or hardening.
- Stop smoking and vaping beforehand, as nicotine harms wound healing.
- Tell your surgeon about all medicines and any symptoms you are attributing to the implants, so these can be assessed properly.
What happens
Under general anaesthetic, the surgeon usually reopens the original scar where possible. The implant is removed, and depending on the plan, some or all of the capsule is removed too. If implants are being replaced, new ones are placed; if a lift is being done, excess skin is removed and the breast reshaped.
Removing the capsule, particularly the whole capsule or 'en bloc', makes the operation longer and can involve more dissection near the chest wall. Drains are sometimes used. Stitches are usually dissolvable and you will be put into a supportive bra. The operation commonly takes one to three hours, and many people go home the same day or after one night.
Is this operation right for me?
A good consultation should explore whether it's the right choice for you now — including reasons to wait or consider something else.
May not be suitable if…
- You expect your breasts to look exactly as they did before you ever had implants — removal cannot guarantee this.
- You are seeking total/en bloc capsulectomy for general reassurance when there is no clinical reason for it.
- You smoke or vape and are unwilling to stop, given the risk to healing.
- Your weight is unstable or you are planning significant weight change.
- You are basing the decision mainly on social-media claims without being clinically assessed.
Delay surgery if…
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- You have an active breast or skin infection.
- You have a new, unexplained breast lump or swelling that needs assessment first.
- You feel rushed and have not had a genuine cooling-off period of at least two weeks.
- You are undecided about whether to replace the implants or add a lift.
Alternatives to discuss
- Leaving symptom-free implants in place, with monitoring, as UK regulators advise.
- Treating a specific problem (such as rupture or contracture) rather than routine removal of healthy implants.
- Implant exchange rather than full removal if you still want implants.
- Adding a lift instead of replacement if you want a natural result.
- Proper medical assessment of symptoms before deciding on surgery.
Before you decide
Use this as a shared-decision checklist. The aim is not just “can this be done?”, but whether it is right for you, now, with the risks and alternatives clearly understood.
What matters most to me?
Think about symptoms, daily life, work, caring responsibilities, sport, fertility, travel, appearance and anxiety — the right choice depends on your priorities, not just the medical facts.
What are all my options?
Ask about waiting, monitoring, medicines, rehabilitation, a smaller or larger procedure, a different test, NHS referral, or a second opinion where that would help.
What would make me pause?
Active infection, pregnancy, unstable medical problems, smoking, medicines that increase bleeding, poor support at home, or feeling pressured are all reasons to slow down and get tailored advice.
What happens if I do nothing today?
For some problems, waiting is safe; for others, delay can make treatment harder. A good consultation should explain the trade-off in plain English.
Anaesthetic choices
The safest option depends on the operation, your health, the facility and your surgeon/anaesthetist. Ask what is planned and why.
Benefits
- Removes a ruptured, hardened or uncomfortable implant
- Can relieve symptoms caused by capsular contracture, such as pain or distortion
- Lets you return to a more natural breast if you no longer want implants
- Allows a change of size, type or position if implants are being replaced
- Can be combined with a lift to improve shape after removal
Risks & complications
- Swelling, bruising and soreness for a few weeks
- A change in breast appearance — usually smaller, looser or drooping after removal
- Temporary changes in nipple or breast sensation
- Scars at the original or new incision sites
- Bleeding or a collection of blood (haematoma)
- Infection needing antibiotics, sometimes requiring removal of a new implant
- Fluid collection (seroma) needing drainage
- Asymmetry, rippling or contour irregularity, especially after removal of large implants
- Needing further surgery, such as a lift or revision
- Poor healing or loss of an area of skin or the nipple due to reduced blood supply
- Damage to deeper structures during removal of the capsule
- Blood clots in the legs or lungs (DVT/PE)
- With BIA-ALCL, the need for more extensive surgery and oncology treatment
Removal surgery generally carries greater risks than the original implant operation, particularly when the whole capsule is removed. Be wary of being talked into a larger operation (such as total or en bloc capsulectomy) than your situation needs, but also of having genuine symptoms dismissed. If you have specific concerns about BIA-ALCL or symptoms you link to your implants, ask for proper assessment rather than relying on social-media claims.
Published figures to discuss
Risks depend heavily on what is done — simple removal, exchange, or capsulectomy — and on your tissues and history. Robust single percentages are hard to quote, but removal surgery generally carries greater risk than the original placement, especially when the whole capsule is removed. The BIA-ALCL figure below is a UK regulator estimate per implants sold, not a per-person yearly risk.
| Figure | Reported range | How to interpret it | Source / confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIA-ALCL (lymphoma linked to implants) | Roughly 1 case per 12,000–15,000 implants sold in the UK | Per MHRA reporting data; more often linked to textured implants. Usually treatable when found early. | NHS — Breast implant surgery (risks and considerations)nhs.ukPublished figure |
| Capsular contracture or implant malposition after replacement | Common long-term reasons for revision | Changing implants does not reset risk to zero; pocket, implant type, radiotherapy and infection history matter. | NHS — Breast implant surgery (risks and considerations)nhs.ukSource-linked context |
| Breast shape dissatisfaction after implant removal or exchange | Common enough to plan for | Loose skin, asymmetry, rippling or volume loss may need uplift, fat grafting or staged surgery. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
| Systemic symptoms not resolving after explant | Possible | Implant removal may help implant-specific problems, but non-specific systemic symptoms should not be guaranteed to improve. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
These are literature figures, not a personalised prediction. Your own risks and likely benefits depend on your circumstances, your health, and how your care is carried out and followed up.
Recovery — what to expect, and when
Recovery is similar to other breast surgery — a few weeks of taking it easy in a supportive bra — but tends to be longer and more uncomfortable when the capsule is removed or implants are replaced with a lift.
- Swelling, bruising and tightness in the breasts
- Breasts looking flatter, smaller or looser than before, which can feel strange at first
- Numbness or altered sensation that often improves over weeks to months
- Red, raised scars that fade over many months
- Tiredness in the first week
Aftercare
- Wear the supportive bra as instructed.
- Avoid heavy lifting, stretching and strenuous exercise until cleared.
- Keep wounds clean and dry and follow scar-care advice once healed.
- Take pain relief as advised.
- Avoid smoking, which harms healing.
- Attend follow-up, including any discussion of results sent to the lab if tissue or capsule was tested.
- Know who to contact and seek urgent help for signs of infection, a darkening nipple, or breathing problems.
- Supportive/post-surgical bras bought as advised
- Time off work booked (about 2–4 weeks)
- Help at home for the first week
- Pain relief and any prescribed medicines collected
- Records of your original implants to hand
- Clinic's emergency contact number saved
Scars and how they heal
Where possible the surgeon uses your original scar, so you may not gain many new scars from removal alone. Replacing implants, removing the capsule or adding a lift can mean longer or additional scars. Scars are red and raised at first and fade over many months, but remain permanent. After removal of large implants, loose skin may take time to retract and sometimes does not fully recover its shape.
⚠ Get urgent help if…
- A nipple or area of skin turning dark, dusky or black
- Increasing pain, spreading redness, heat or smelly discharge (signs of infection)
- A breast becoming rapidly swollen, tense or very painful (possible bleeding)
- A wound opening up
- New, unexplained swelling or a lump in a breast that still has an implant — get this checked
- Breathlessness, chest pain, or a swollen, painful calf — call 999
Who to contact: your surgeon or clinic first (keep their number to hand). For urgent advice when you can't reach them, call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.
General guidance — it doesn't replace the specific advice your surgeon gives you.
Results & realistic expectations
Removing implants returns the breast toward its natural state, which usually means smaller and sometimes looser breasts, particularly after large or longstanding implants. The final shape develops over months, and a lift may be needed or chosen to improve it. Replacing implants can refresh size or shape, and removing a hardened or ruptured implant can relieve discomfort and distortion.
Results vary and cannot be guaranteed. A good surgeon is honest about how your breasts are likely to look after removal and avoids promising that they will return to how they were before implants.
If you have implants removed and not replaced, the change is lasting, though the breasts continue to age naturally. If you have new implants, remember implants do not last a lifetime and may need further surgery in the future. After capsule removal, scar tissue can sometimes form again. Keeping a stable weight and using good support can help maintain shape.
Combining with other procedures
Implant removal is commonly combined with a lift (mastopexy) to address loose skin, or with replacement implants to maintain or change volume. Combining several steps in one operation increases complexity and the chance of needing further surgery. Your surgeon should explain whether to combine or stage the work, based on your tissues and goals.
Follow-up & long-term care
You will usually be reviewed in the first week or two to check healing, with later review as swelling settles and the final shape develops. If any capsule or tissue is sent to the laboratory, you should be told the results and what they mean. You should have a named contact and clear advice on warning signs.
- If you keep or replace implants, follow advice on long-term monitoring and possible future surgery.
- Report any new swelling, lump, pain or shape change in a breast with an implant.
- Continue routine breast awareness and any screening you are invited to.
- Wear supportive bras and keep your weight stable to help maintain shape.
Revision and secondary surgery reality
- After removal, a lift or revision is sometimes needed to improve shape.
- New implants can develop the same problems over time and may need further surgery.
- Scar tissue (capsule) can re-form after capsulectomy.
- Asymmetry or contour problems may prompt further surgery, especially after large implants.
Ask your surgeon for their own revision rate, what counts as a revision, and what is included in the written aftercare policy.
What good aftercare looks like
- A named contact and clear route to urgent help.
- Honest pre-operative discussion of likely appearance after removal.
- Early review of healing, then later review as shape settles.
- Clear communication of any laboratory results from removed tissue.
- A clear policy on who reviews and funds any revision or lift.
What affects the cost
Costs vary a great deal between people and providers, and we don't publish prices. What matters is understanding what drives the cost and making sure your quote is complete. The main things that affect it:
- The surgeon's fee and experience
- Anaesthetic and theatre/facility fees
- Whether the capsule is removed, and how much (this lengthens surgery)
- Whether new implants are placed and the cost of the implants
- Whether a lift is added to reshape the breasts
- Length of any hospital stay and use of drains
- Follow-up, any laboratory tests on removed tissue, and revision policy
- The operating surgeon's fee and GMC registration
- Anaesthetist and facility/theatre fees
- Whether capsule removal and/or a lift are included
- Cost and details of any new implants
- Any laboratory testing of removed tissue and how results are given
- The cooling-off period and cancellation/refund policy
- What happens, and who pays, if a complication or revision is needed
On the NHS? Removal or replacement of breast implants is usually only funded by the NHS if the original implants were placed by the NHS or there is a specific medical reason; otherwise it is generally a private procedure.
You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including aftercare and any revision — before you decide.
Consent traps and marketing red flags
These are not small details. They are often where patients lose choice, time to reflect, or realistic expectations.
Consent traps
- Offering total or en bloc capsulectomy routinely without a clinical reason.
- Not explaining honestly how the breasts will look after removal.
- Consent taken by a salesperson rather than the operating surgeon.
- Dismissing genuine symptoms, or conversely promising that removal will cure non-specific symptoms.
- No clear plan for results of any tissue sent to the laboratory.
Marketing red flags
- Clinics promoting 'en bloc' removal as a cure-all for vague symptoms.
- Promises that removal will return breasts to their pre-implant appearance.
- Fear-based marketing about 'toxic' implants without balanced evidence.
- Discount packages that pressure you to book quickly.
- Claims that implant illness is a proven, single recognised disease.
Choosing a surgeon safely
- Check your surgeon is on the GMC Specialist Register for this area.
- Make sure they practise at a CQC-registered location, and look for membership of bodies like BAAPS or BAPRAS.
- You're entitled to a two-stage consent process with time to reflect (a cooling-off period). The surgeon who will operate must consent you — not a salesperson.
- Be wary of pressure: time-limited offers, discounts or deposits taken before you've had time to think are red flags, not bargains.
- You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including aftercare and any revision — before you decide.
Questions to ask your medical professional
Take this to your consultation. A good surgeon will welcome every one of these.
- Do I need removal only, replacement, or removal with a lift — and why?
- How are my breasts likely to look after surgery, especially if I don't replace the implants?
- Do I need the capsule removed, and if so, partly or fully — and why?
- What is my personal risk, and how does this operation compare with my original surgery?
- If I have symptoms or concerns about BIA-ALCL or implant illness, how will these be assessed?
- Will any tissue or capsule be sent to the lab, and how will I get the results?
- Are you on the GMC Specialist Register for this area, and which Royal College or professional body are you a member of?
- Will you be the surgeon who carries out my operation, and who looks after me afterwards?
- What are the risks for someone like me, and how often do your own patients have a problem or need it repeated or redone?
- What does a realistic result look like — and what can this operation not achieve?
- What are my options, including waiting, doing nothing for now, or choosing a different approach?
- Can I have written information, results and aftercare instructions in a format I can use, including any accessibility or communication support I need?
- What is the total cost in writing, including any follow-ups, and how much time do I have to decide?
Frequently asked questions
Should I have my implants removed because of cancer or 'breast implant illness' risk?
What is BIA-ALCL?
How will my breasts look after removal?
Can I get this on the NHS?
Do I need the whole capsule removed (en bloc)?
Will replacing my implants reset the clock?
How do I check the clinic and surgeon are properly registered?
Find a verified surgeon for breast implant removal / replacement
Every consultant is GMC-checked and independently reviewed. Search by postcode and distance, or switch to a map. Ordered by rating, relevance and recency — never by who pays.
No verified consultants list this procedure yet — browse the full directory.
How we made this page
Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant. Written in plain English, checked against NHS, NICE, GMC and relevant Royal College / specialist-society guidance, and kept under review. No clinic paid to appear on this page, and we publish no pricing. This is general information to help you prepare — it is not a substitute for advice from your own clinician. How we review our guides →
Source hierarchy: UK regulator and NHS/NICE guidance first, then relevant Royal College or specialist-society guidance, then peer-reviewed evidence for procedure-specific figures where available.
Sources & standards: MHRA/GOV.UK — Breast implants and BIA-ALCL MHRA/GOV.UK — Symptoms sometimes referred to as Breast Implant Illness BAAPS — Breast implant safety NHS — Breast implant surgery (risks and considerations) RCS England — Professional Standards for Cosmetic Surgery GMC — guidance for cosmetic interventions CQC — Care Quality Commission (England) Healthcare Improvement Scotland (independent healthcare, Scotland) Healthcare Inspectorate Wales RQIA — Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (Northern Ireland)
Reviews reflect patients' experience of care, not clinical outcomes. For procedure volumes and outcome data see PHIN.
Last medically reviewed 2026-09-21. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Report an error in this guide.
Related guides: Breast uplift (mastopexy) · Breast enlargement · Breast reduction · Arm lift (brachioplasty) · Body lift