Why So Many Women Are Choosing to Remove Their Implants: The Explant Movement
Over the past several years, I've noticed a significant shift in the conversations I'm having with patients. Consultations that once focused almost entirely on breast augmentation now regularly involve women wanting to discuss something different: taking their implants out.
Some of these women arrive quietly, a little embarrassed, wondering if this choice makes them unusual or if they're part of some fringe movement. I always want them to know that they absolutely aren't. The explant movement, as it's come to be called, is not a niche trend. It represents a genuine and growing shift in how women are thinking about their bodies, their health, and what they want from cosmetic surgery.
As a surgeon, I believe this phenomenon deserves an honest, clear-headed conversation rather than dismissal or judgment.
Let's discuss the real numbers behind explant surgery, the reasons women are choosing removal, what breast implant illness actually is, and what you should know if you're considering taking your implants out.
The statistics show a genuine trend
Breast implant removal surgery has experienced dramatic growth over the past several years. The numbers tell a compelling story about changing attitudes toward implants.
Global and national data
Breast implant removal surgery has nearly doubled globally between 2017 and 2022. Over 320,000 procedures are performed worldwide each year, according to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
In the United States alone, between 40,000 and 75,000 removals took place in 2023. The Cleveland Clinic reports that the number of women choosing not to replace their implants after removal has risen by 47%, indicating this isn't simply women swapping one implant for another. Women are opting out of breast implants entirely.
Younger generation attitudes shifting
The trends among younger women are particularly notable. Women under 30 made up approximately one-third of breast augmentation patients in 2015. Today, that figure has dropped to 17%.
This represents a fundamental cultural change about natural aesthetics, what beauty means, and the recognition that having the right to change your mind about previous surgical decisions is legitimate and healthy.
The relevance to diverse populations
While these statistics primarily reflect Western markets, this cultural conversation about natural aesthetics and implant removal is becoming increasingly relevant globally, including in the UAE and Middle East regions.
Understanding breast implant illness and the evidence
Breast implant illness, commonly referred to as BII, is probably the question I'm asked most about currently. I want to answer it as honestly and clearly as I possibly can.
What breast implant illness actually is
Breast implant illness refers to a collection of symptoms that some women experience after receiving breast implants. The reported symptoms include persistent fatigue and low energy, joint and muscle pain or aching, brain fog and cognitive difficulties, difficulty concentrating or memory problems, unexplained hair loss, skin rashes or conditions, and a general sense of not feeling well or malaise.
Symptoms can appear soon after surgery, months later, or even years after implant placement. Women report experiencing these symptoms with both silicone gel implants and saline implants, though silicone implants are more frequently associated with BII concerns.
The current medical understanding
Here's what's important to understand: BII is not yet a formally recognized medical diagnosis. There are no standardized tests to definitively identify BII, no official diagnostic criteria agreed upon by major medical societies, and researchers are still actively working to understand the underlying mechanisms.
Some scientific investigations suggest an immune response to silicone acting as an adjuvant, triggering or exacerbating systemic symptoms. Other research points to bacterial biofilms forming on the implant surface or chronic capsular inflammation around the implant as potential causes.
Recent research findings
A 2025 systematic review examining explant outcomes found that 81.9% of patients reported symptom improvement after implant removal, with an average symptom reduction of over 55%. That represents a significant finding, even if we don't yet fully understand the mechanism behind it.
The important perspective
What I want patients to take from this information is not fear or alarm. Breast augmentation remains one of the most commonly performed and safest cosmetic procedures in the world. Many, many women have had implants for decades without any issues whatsoever.
However, if you have implants and you are experiencing unexplained symptoms, those symptoms deserve to be taken seriously by you and your medical team. Please do not let anyone, including your surgeon, dismiss your concerns. Your experience matters.
Other legitimate reasons for choosing removal
Not every woman considering explant surgery does so because of health concerns. While BII receives significant media attention, many women choose removal for entirely different reasons that are equally valid.
Changing aesthetic preferences
Some women have simply changed their minds about the aesthetic they wanted. Implants placed ten, fifteen, or twenty years ago may no longer feel like the right fit for who they are today.
Bodies change with aging, weight fluctuations, pregnancy, and life circumstances. Preferences evolve as we move through different life stages. What felt right at twenty-five might not feel right at forty-five. That's not failure or regret; it's natural evolution.
Natural aging and changing life priorities
As women age, priorities shift. Health concerns become more important. The appeal of low-maintenance naturalness may outweigh the desire for augmented proportions. This isn't about anything being wrong with the implants; it's about wanting a different direction for your body.
Implants reaching their natural lifespan
Breast implants aren't lifetime devices. After ten to fifteen years, some women decide rather than replacing implants when they eventually need it, they'd prefer to proceed without them.
Complications and functional concerns
Some patients experience specific complications making removal preferable. Capsular contracture, where scar tissue tightens around the implant causing discomfort or visible distortion, leads some women to choose removal rather than revision. Some experience implant malposition or rippling affecting appearance or comfort.
BIA-ALCL and textured implant concerns
There's a rare but serious condition called BIA-ALCL, a type of lymphoma predominantly associated with textured breast implants. The FDA has recorded over 1,300 cases worldwide. While the absolute risk remains very low, this association has prompted many women with textured implants to have them replaced or removed as a precautionary measure.
If you have textured implants and you're uncertain about your options, having a thoughtful conversation with an experienced surgeon about your specific situation is absolutely worthwhile.
Simply wanting a different choice
Some women realize that augmentation was someone else's idea, not their own. Perhaps they had surgery to please a partner, meet professional expectations, or conform to beauty standards they've since rejected. Reclaiming your body and your choices is a valid and powerful reason for explantation.
What breast implant removal surgery actually involves
Explant surgery isn't a single standardized procedure. Depending on your individual situation, there are several different approaches available.
Simple implant removal
The most straightforward approach involves simple removal of the implant and closure of the pocket. This is often appropriate when BII or other health concerns are the driving factor.
Total capsulectomy
For women concerned about BII, those with textured implants, or those with capsular contracture, a total capsulectomy may be recommended. This involves removing the scar tissue capsule that naturally forms around the implant along with the implant itself.
The rationale is that removing the capsule eliminates any potential ongoing inflammatory stimulus from biofilm or silicone particles that might remain on the capsule surface.
Explant with breast lift
Many women choose to combine implant removal with a breast lift procedure to address shape and positioning changes that occur after removal. The lift can restore more youthful contours and address any sagging that develops.
Explant with reconstruction
Some women choose fat grafting or other reconstructive approaches alongside implant removal to restore volume while maintaining a natural appearance.
Determining your approach
The right surgical approach for you depends on several factors: your specific anatomy and breast tissue quality, the size, age, and type of implants you have, the condition of your skin and underlying tissue, any complications you're experiencing, and most importantly, what your goals are for your appearance after removal.
What happens to your breasts after removal
One of the most common concerns I hear from women considering explantation is what their breasts will look like after the implants come out. This is a fair and legitimate concern that deserves honest discussion.
Factors affecting post-removal appearance
Your appearance after removal depends on several things. Your age and baseline skin elasticity matter significantly. Younger patients with good skin quality often maintain better shape and position naturally after implant removal. The size of your implants relative to your frame affects how noticeable the change is.
The amount of time you've had implants influences how your tissue has changed. The original shape and volume of your breasts before augmentation affects what you'll return to approximately. Your weight stability and overall body composition plays a role.
Realistic expectations by age and tissue quality
Younger patients with good skin elasticity often fare quite well after simple removal, maintaining relatively youthful breast appearance. Middle-aged patients may notice more change in shape and some descent, often benefiting from a lift procedure.
Patients with excellent skin quality and those who maintained stable weight often have better natural outcomes than those with significant skin laxity or weight fluctuations.
Options to improve post-removal appearance
If you're concerned about appearance after implant removal, several surgical options exist. A breast lift can restore a more youthful shape and position. Fat grafting can restore volume while maintaining naturalness. Combination approaches addressing multiple concerns simultaneously often yield the best results.
The importance of thorough consultation
I always walk patients through realistic possibilities specific to their anatomy before they make any decisions. Seeing before and after photos of similar patients, understanding what's achievable for your body type, and discussing different surgical options helps ensure you're making an informed decision.
Your body, your right to choose
One thing that has always mattered deeply to me as a surgeon is that patients feel genuinely heard and respected in their choices.
Addressing pressure and resistance
I've heard from women who returned to their original surgeons asking about implant removal and encountered resistance, pressure to reconsider, or even refusal to perform the procedure. That approach is not acceptable and goes against basic principles of patient autonomy and respect.
If you have breast implants and you want them removed, that is unequivocally your right. Your body belongs to you. Your choice deserves respect regardless of what another surgeon might prefer.
The role of informed decision-making
What matters most is that you make your decision from a place of complete information and genuine autonomy, not from pressure, fear-mongering, or dismissal of your concerns.
My role as your surgeon
My job as a surgeon isn't to tell you what to do with your body. My responsibility is to give you honest, clear information so that whatever you decide, you feel confident about it and understand the implications fully.
Whether you're experiencing symptoms, have simply changed your mind about having implants, want to understand your options before making decisions, or are dealing with specific complications, the conversation is always worth having.
The bigger picture of bodily autonomy
The explant movement represents something important beyond just changes in breast surgery preferences. It reflects growing recognition that women have the right to make decisions about their bodies that make sense for them at different life stages.
Evolution of choices over time
The ability to change your mind about previous surgical choices, to prioritize health over appearance, to choose naturalness over enhancement, or to simply want something different than what you chose years ago represents a healthy evolution of bodily autonomy.
Rejecting judgment
Women shouldn't feel judged for wanting their implants removed any more than they should be judged for choosing to have them placed initially. Both decisions can be right for individuals at different points in their lives.
Supporting informed choice
What matters is that women have access to skilled surgeons who will perform explant surgery competently, provide honest information about outcomes, and respect their choices without judgment.
Taking the next step
If you have breast implants and you're considering removal, whether due to health concerns, changing preferences, complications, or simply wanting to reclaim your natural body, the first step is having an honest conversation with a qualified plastic surgeon.
Questions to ask yourself
What's driving my interest in removal right now? Am I experiencing specific symptoms or concerns? Have I changed my mind about wanting augmentation? Am I dealing with a complication? What do I want my breasts to look like after removal?
What to expect from consultation
A thorough consultation should include evaluation of your current anatomy and implants, honest discussion about realistic post-removal appearance, review of different surgical options available, discussion of recovery and timeline, and transparent conversation about costs and outcomes.
Your right to removal
Know that you have the right to have your implants removed. You deserve a surgeon who will perform this procedure competently and respectfully, regardless of their personal views on breast augmentation.
The path forward
The explant movement represents a meaningful shift in how women are thinking about their bodies and their choices. It reflects growing recognition that bodies and preferences evolve, that health matters, and that women deserve autonomy over their surgical choices.
Whether you're experiencing breast implant illness symptoms, have changed your mind about augmentation, want to address a complication, or simply prefer your natural body, those choices deserve respect and support.
Your body, your timeline, your decision. That's what matters most.
Considering breast implant removal or want to discuss your options? Schedule a comprehensive consultation with a surgeon experienced in explant procedures to discuss your specific situation, goals, and what realistic outcomes look like for you.