Chrissy Teigen removed her breast implants: Five things to know if you consider the procedure

Author, TV host and model Chrissy Teigen posted a comical, cute "Bye Boobies" card from her 4-year-old daughter on Instagram last Thursday to let her followers know her breast implant removal surgery "went perfectly" despite her soreness.

Teigen, 34, recently disclosed her decision to remove her breast implants on social media, with a caption stating "I'm getting my boobs out! They've been great to me for many years but I'm just over it. I'd like to be able to zip a dress in my size, lay on my belly with pure comfort! No biggie!"

In the March issue of Glamour UK, Teigen also explained that motherhood changed her outlook on undergoing implant replacement surgery every ten years and added "if she could do one thing now, she would get a lift."

"Just like fashion, or makeup styles, preferences for women's breasts fluctuate," says ASPS member Karen Horton, MD, San Francisco. "What was desired or trendy a few decades ago can change. Currently, many women are choosing to remove their breast implants and to adopt a more subtle, natural and athletic look to their breasts. A perky shape, which may require a lift of the nipple and rearrangement of stretched-out breast tissue by way of a mastopexy (breast lift) is sometimes required to achieve this look. However, just like a post-pregnancy belly, it is amazing how much the breast skin will retract with time if the implants are just removed without a lift."

The goal of breast implant removal surgery is to remove breast implants from breast augmentation or breast reconstruction patients. Whether you've experienced deflation after giving birth like Teigen, or you're no longer satisfied with the shape of your implants and want to improve the appearance of your breasts, here are five things you should know before undergoing the explant procedure.

Breast implant removal surgery is a highly individualized procedure

This procedure should be performed if you have capsular contracture (hardening of the breast), pain with implants, imaging has shown a leak of the capsule and/or if you no longer desire implants or wish to exchange them. If you're considering surgery, spend some time reviewing before and after photos and learning about what to expect during recovery. Preparation ahead of time helps patients have reasonable expectations and a smoother recovery.

Healing can take up to one year before the final results are visible

The final results of breast implant removal surgery will depend largely on the size of the implants being removed and the quantity and quality of your breast tissue that is left. The scar tissue that was surrounding your implants also will play a large role in your overall outcome. Swelling and postoperative changes will need time prior to the final results.

Breast implants are not lifelong devices

Over time, breast implants can change shape or size, and the overlying breast tissue can also change, creating an appearance or feel to the breast that is less desirable than the original result. It's important to have your implants exchanged or removed approximately every 10-15 years. This decision is typically based on the individual and the patient's needs and desires. In some cases, the outside shell of the implant breaks down causing silicone to leak and the scar tissue around the implant to harden. It is important to understand that your implants should be removed for this reason.

Patients may require additional surgeries

With this particular surgery, the results are not always cosmetic because the breast tissue is thin as a result of having implants for an extended period of time. The results can also be affected if the implants have been leaking. In some situations, it may not be possible to achieve optimal results with a single surgical procedure and another surgery may be required. It may also be necessary to have a mastectomy if silicone has gone throughout the breast and the free-floating silicone is no longer within the scar tissue.

Choose a board-certified plastic surgeon

Breast implant removal involves many choices. The first and most important is selecting a board-certified plastic surgeon you can trust who is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). When choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon for breast implant removal surgery, remember that the surgeon's experience and your comfort with the physician are just as important as the final cost of the surgery.