Breast Implant Removal Surgeon

Implant Removal

Dr Fredric (Breast Implant Removal Surgeon) Barr performs a total capsulectomy procedure, which is the removal of the breast implant and the capsule in one piece. He has been performing breast implant explant surgery for many years. In 2019, Dr Barr announced he would no longer perform breast implant surgery. It is imperative to find a doctor and staff that believes in BII and listens to their patients for emotional support on their journey. Dr Barr gives his patients pictures of the capsules, along with the removed implants. He will send all necessary specimens to pathology post-surgery and follow his patients’ progress. His patients report significant relief from their BII symptoms.

Breast Implant Illness includes but is not limited to:

• Joint pain
• Inflammation in the body
• Hormonal imbalances
• Hair loss
• Skin allergies
• Thyroid issues
• Unexplained and chronic fatigue

Most symptoms of BII come from reports, including discussions on social media. Currently, BII is not an official illness, and there are no diagnostic tools. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) closely monitors the potential existence of BII.

Your plastic surgeon may consider breast implant removal surgery to be the most effective treatment to address BII and symptoms and capsular contracture. Ninety-five percent of Dr. Barr’s patients report immediate BII symptom relief after undergoing breast implant removal surgery.

Causes of BII

The causes of BII are not clear, and doctors are not sure if individuals with certain medical conditions are more likely to experience BII symptoms.

Proposed causes of BII include:

• The body’s reaction to breast implants, for example, silicone
• The body’s inflammatory response to a foreign object
• The body’s response to surgical techniques or a specific approach to implant insertion

Treatment of BII

The issue of BII gained traction after it recently became clear that some implants may cause anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL), which is a cancer of the immune system that develops in the scar tissue capsule. In this setting, this type of T-cell lymphoma is called breast-implant associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). The rationale is that, if implants can cause cancer of the immune system, it makes sense that implants can cause immune disorders.

If the pathology results indicate BIA-ALCL, breast implant removal surgery is the recommended treatment. A plastic surgeon will typically recommend exploring complete removal of breast implants as well as the surrounding scar tissue, but each woman’s case is different, and the decision belongs to the patient. It is important to schedule a consultation with a plastic surgeon who is knowledgeable of BIA-ALCL and experienced in performing Total Capsulectomy procedures in order to explore this option. Patients are then often advised to consult with an oncologist for further treatment.

Implant Replacement

At Palm Beach Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, we don’t recommend this approach. In the case of BII, there are too many variables to recommend an implant replacement. An adverse reaction to the removed breast implants may be a predisposition. Additionally, both saline and silicone implants have silicone shells. If your body has an inflammatory response to silicone, replacing silicone implants with saline types may not be an effective treatment.

Every Woman’s Experience is Unique

In most cases, the appearance change that results from implants is not worth experiencing the symptoms of BII and the effect they have on an individual’s quality of life. However, the decision to undergo an implant- or breast implant removal surgery is, ultimately, yours.

To make an informed decision, schedule a consultation with a patient counselor at Palm Beach Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery. After listening to your concerns and gathering the information they need, they will schedule an appointment for you with Dr Fredric M. Barr, a board-certified and renowned Palm Beach plastic surgeon with 34 years of experience and an excellent track record.

Disclaimer

Please understand Dr. Barr will do his very best to achieve a pleasing result – HOWEVER, due to the unknown effects of tissue damage caused by the implant and its removal, cosmetic results are unpredictable and cannot be guaranteed.