Implant Removal & Fat Transfer

[Elle Anderson 45]

Hi everyone,

For the last few weeks I have strongly been considering removing my polyurethane implants that I had almost 4 years ago. I don't have much breast tissue naturally (small A cup) so I would like to be able to replace my implants with fat so I can at least have a little something there!

I remember back when I was researching augmentation and came across fat grafting, it looked ideal but I thought that being so skinny, I wouldn't have enough fat to use so I dismissed it as an option. I am having a consult with a surgeon on Monday, who I believe is the only one in my country that does breast augmentation via fat transfer (I currently live in New Zealand), on his website he says that even slim patients have success as they are usually able to find enough fat. I am 5"2 and weigh 43kg (about 400g of that is implants!). I am moderately active and stable weight, have never been able to put on weight, on the flipside I haven't lost weight either - but I don't think I'll be able to gain the extra fat if he asks me to.

I would love to hear from anyone that has had experiences with fat grafting. Also if you have had an explant along with fat grafting at the same time, what your experience was like and what results you were able to achieve.

Thanks,

Elle xx

[pink butterfly 1,509]

@vlinder would be the best person to advise you on this as she has had fat grafting done.

[TheFox 101]

I have had my implants removed and they have changed so much in the year since I had them removed.
I would hold off fat grafting until everything has settled so you can determine where or if you need the fat placed.

[Elle Anderson 45]

On 8/27/2018 at 6:57 PM, TheFox said:

I have had my implants removed and they have changed so much in the year since I had them removed.
I would hold off fat grafting until everything has settled so you can determine where or if you need the fat placed.

Ah, thank you that is good to know! I was thinking the same. The surgeon even told me that in my case he thinks it is best to wait and heal before doing the grafting. And that sometimes scars can form inside after removal, knots I think he called them, and also dents, which is a bit worrying!

Because of the submuscular placement and the fact they are polyurethane-coated and textured, he says they may be quite 'stuck' in there, and attached firmly to my rib cage. In fact if they are attached that firmly, he says he won't be able to remove the capsule completely, and instead will have to 'scrape' the surface of it to remove any biofilm. He told me he thinks the biofilm that is formed by bacteria and other microbes is the main cause of BII and people becoming sick from their implants. The body is trying to attack the microbes, but the biofilm acts as a shield, so you get chronic inflammation. He said the research is currently pointing to this.

He will be running a culture on my capsules so I am very interested to know what is growing on them. He says they have found all manner of things in the past. And that testing is still limited, there is likely even more species variation than we are able to find with the current means.

I have booked my explant for the 26th of November - cannot wait. It could be under 90 minutes to remove them but it could also be 4 hours, I am hoping not because the cost would skyrocket. Were you charged by time, @TheFox?

For the fat grafting, he didn't look at my body particularly to see how much fat there was to spare, but he just said 'we can usually get enough', and that the inner thigh was a place they normally find quite a bit. Also that I had some breast tissue which was good because it would provide a bed for the fat cells to adhere too. But I am not thinking about that for now, just need to get these toxic things out of my body.

xx

[Summer37 78]

On 8/31/2018 at 12:21 PM, Elle Anderson said:

Ah, thank you that is good to know! I was thinking the same. The surgeon even told me that in my case he thinks it is best to wait and heal before doing the grafting. And that sometimes scars can form inside after removal, knots I think he called them, and also dents, which is a bit worrying!

Because of the submuscular placement and the fact they are polyurethane-coated and textured, he says they may be quite 'stuck' in there, and attached firmly to my rib cage. In fact if they are attached that firmly, he says he won't be able to remove the capsule completely, and instead will have to 'scrape' the surface of it to remove any biofilm. He told me he thinks the biofilm that is formed by bacteria and other microbes is the main cause of BII and people becoming sick from their implants. The body is trying to attack the microbes, but the biofilm acts as a shield, so you get chronic inflammation. He said the research is currently pointing to this.

He will be running a culture on my capsules so I am very interested to know what is growing on them. He says they have found all manner of things in the past. And that testing is still limited, there is likely even more species variation than we are able to find with the current means.

I have booked my explant for the 26th of November - cannot wait. It could be under 90 minutes to remove them but it could also be 4 hours, I am hoping not because the cost would skyrocket. Were you charged by time, @TheFox?

For the fat grafting, he didn't look at my body particularly to see how much fat there was to spare, but he just said 'we can usually get enough', and that the inner thigh was a place they normally find quite a bit. Also that I had some breast tissue which was good because it would provide a bed for the fat cells to adhere too. But I am not thinking about that for now, just need to get these toxic things out of my body.

xx

Hi Elle

How did you go with the explant? Are you still considering FT and with who?

[TheFox 101]

On 8/31/2018 at 12:21 PM, Elle Anderson said:

Ah, thank you that is good to know! I was thinking the same. The surgeon even told me that in my case he thinks it is best to wait and heal before doing the grafting. And that sometimes scars can form inside after removal, knots I think he called them, and also dents, which is a bit worrying!

Because of the submuscular placement and the fact they are polyurethane-coated and textured, he says they may be quite 'stuck' in there, and attached firmly to my rib cage. In fact if they are attached that firmly, he says he won't be able to remove the capsule completely, and instead will have to 'scrape' the surface of it to remove any biofilm. He told me he thinks the biofilm that is formed by bacteria and other microbes is the main cause of BII and people becoming sick from their implants. The body is trying to attack the microbes, but the biofilm acts as a shield, so you get chronic inflammation. He said the research is currently pointing to this.

He will be running a culture on my capsules so I am very interested to know what is growing on them. He says they have found all manner of things in the past. And that testing is still limited, there is likely even more species variation than we are able to find with the current means.

I have booked my explant for the 26th of November - cannot wait. It could be under 90 minutes to remove them but it could also be 4 hours, I am hoping not because the cost would skyrocket. Were you charged by time, @TheFox?

For the fat grafting, he didn't look at my body particularly to see how much fat there was to spare, but he just said 'we can usually get enough', and that the inner thigh was a place they normally find quite a bit. Also that I had some breast tissue which was good because it would provide a bed for the fat cells to adhere too. But I am not thinking about that for now, just need to get these toxic things out of my body.

xx

I had private health insurance which covered the cost of the theatre and anaesthetists.
Im now 18 months post explant and would love love love to see some fat grafting after explant in women who dont have much breast tissue to begin with