If your silicone gel implants are more than two decades old, it’s crucial to meet with a plastic surgeon to assess their condition and explore your options. Dr. Suzanne Quardt, a board-certified plastic surgeon, offers breast revision services to patients in Newport Beach and nearby areas.

The primary concern with older implants is the possibility of leaking or rupturing. It’s important to note that silicone gel implants from over 20 years ago differ significantly from today’s versions. Advances in implant technology have led to thicker outer shells that are more rupture-resistant and the development of more cohesive silicone gel that doesn’t leak as easily. Modern implants, classified as 4th to 6th generation, are vastly improved over older models.

While mammograms are effective for early breast cancer detection, they aren’t very reliable for spotting implant ruptures unless the damage is severe enough to appear on the scan. Instead, watch for changes like hardening of the breast tissue, known as capsular contracture, or noticeable flattening of the breast, which may indicate a ruptured implant. Pain in the breasts warrants an immediate check-up, though many women with ruptured implants experience no discomfort. Silent ruptures, which occur without obvious symptoms, are best detected through MRI, a highly accurate diagnostic tool for this purpose.

If your old implants are saline, replacement is only necessary if issues arise. A saline rupture is harmless as the body absorbs the saline naturally. However, ruptured silicone gel implants can lead to intra-capsular or extra-capsular ruptures. Intra-capsular ruptures contain the silicone within the surrounding scar tissue, while extra-capsular ruptures allow the silicone to escape, potentially reaching the skin or lymph nodes. Immediate removal is recommended for ruptured silicone implants, as advised by manufacturers.

Even without a full rupture, the outer shell of a silicone gel implant may degrade over time, allowing the silicone to leak gradually in a process called silicone bleed. This can cause a capsular contracture, where the tissue around the implant hardens. In some cases, no visible signs of leakage are present, yet the implant may still be compromised.

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Many women, for a variety of different reasons, decide to remove their breast implants. One of the biggest concerns is “how will my breasts look after removing my implants?” The volume loss can sometimes create a “caved in” deformity of the upper and central breast after removing the implant. This type of volume loss can NOT be corrected with breast lifts alone.

Dr Suzanne Quardt’s breast reconstruction technique after implant removal, also called explant surgery, offers an innovative and personal approach to addressing a common concern for women undergoing explant surgery.

Her procedure, which she calls the “Q Flap,” enhances the breast’s fullness without using replacement implants by using a patient’s own native breast tissue.

For the appropriate candidate, Dr Quardt has taken her knowledge and training in Breast Reconstructive Surgery to help prevent the explant deformity. Using her intraoperative technique, she performs a rearrangement of the soft tissues of the breasts to create a fuller-looking breast, particularly in the specific area of volume loss after removing the breast implants. By transposing a patient’s own tissues into the void created by the explants, Dr Quardt gives women a much prettier and fuller yet natural-looking breast result after implant removal.

“This is a great procedure for women who want their implants removed but want to maintain fullness in their breasts.”

Suzanne Quardt, MD

Call Us to Schedule a Consultation!
(949) 880-0062