Remove, Replace, Visualise: How Breast Implant Revision Looks Before You Decide

Breast implants have changed millions of lives but they are not designed to last forever. Whether it has been ten years or twenty, many patients reach a point where they start asking the same question: is it time to change my implants? 

This is a conversation happening more often than ever. Understanding when revision is needed, what the options are, and how modern technology is making the decision clearer is something every patient and surgeon deserves to explore together.

Why breast implants may need to be changed?

Breast implants are medical devices, and like all devices, they have a lifespan. Most surgeons recommend a professional evaluation every 10 to 15 years, even when no symptoms are present. But the reasons patients seek revision surgery vary widely and the data tells a nuanced story.

1. Up to 36% of patients require revision surgery after primary breast augmentation
2. +9% increase in breast implant removals from 2022 to 2023 (ASPS)
3.  37% of explanation cases driven by dissatisfaction with breast appearance

According to a peer-reviewed study published in 2023, covering 28 years and over 1,000 explanation cases, the most common patient complaint was dissatisfaction with breast appearance, followed by concerns about implant safety, discomfort, and changes in feel over time.

The most common and challenging causes of revision breast augmentation include capsular contracture, implant malposition, and ptosis of the aging breast following augmentation.

Remove, replace, or both?

A long-term retrospective study published in 2025, reviewing cases from 2015 to 2023, found that both removal and replacement achieved high patient satisfaction, with the deciding factor being a deeply personalised conversation between surgeon and patient, not a one-size-fits-all protocol. The study also highlighted the need for comprehensive patient education and psychological support throughout the process.

Research further shows that when patients are actively involved in the decision-making process  understanding what to expect visually and physically outcomes improve significantly. A study of 1,840 primary augmentations found that dissatisfaction with size dropped to under 1% when patients played a direct role in implant selection, supported by simulation tools and structured clinical guidance.

At Arbrea Labs, we made this visible

Understanding the process intellectually is one thing. Seeing it on your own body before any decision is made is something else entirely. With the Suite Arbrea‘s AI-powered breast simulation tool, surgeons can now walk a patient through the entire revision journey in real time, directly from an iPad  with no internet connection required, no extra hardware. In less than 90 seconds, a surgeon can:

• Simulate the removal of existing implants and visualise how the breast looks without them
• Browse an integrated implant catalogue from global manufacturers, filtering by size, projection, and profile
• Place new implants virtually on the patient’s own body in AR or 3D and compare up to two options side by side
• Use automatic/manual breast measurements to ensure the selected implant suits the patient’s anatomy
• Add scar indicators and simulate lift techniques for a complete picture of the outcome

Per il surgeon, this means a more structured, data-informed consultation. For the paziente, it means walking into the operating room with confidence having already seen, explored, and approved what comes next.

Suite Arbrea is used by plastic surgeons worldwide in more than 60 countries and is available directly on iPad. It is part of a broader platform that includes face simulation, patient record management, and before-and-after documentation, all in one place. It is part of a broader platform that includes breast, face, body, simulation, patient record management, and before-and-after documentation, all in one place.

Something big is coming to Arbrea Labs. Something that changes not just how consultations are visualised, but how the entire decision-making process works.
Follow us on Instagram/LinkedIn to be among the first to know. What’s coming next is worth the wait.

Riferimento:

[1] Zhang, Z., Qi, J., Zhang, X. et al. What Can We Learn from Breast Implant Explantation: a 28-Year, Multicenter Retrospective Study of 1004 Explantation Cases. Aesth Plast Surg 47, 1743–1750 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-023-03365-4

[2]  Denney BD, Cohn AB, Bosworth JW, Kumbla PA. Revision Breast Augmentation. Semin Plast Surg. 2021 May;35(2):98-109. doi: 10.1055/s-0041-1727272. Epub 2021 Jun 8. PMID: 34121945; PMCID: PMC8186996.

[3] Kolasiński J, Kolenda M, Kołacz S, Kasielska-Trojan A. The Effect of Patient Involvement in Implant Size Selection on Satisfaction With Breast Size: An Analysis of 1840 Primary Augmentations. Aesthet Surg J. 2025 Aug 18;45(9):899-905. doi: 10.1093/asj/sjaf085. PMID: 40378273; PMCID: PMC12358212.