Why does breast implant removal sometimes cost as much—or more—than getting implants in the first place? It sounds backwards… until you hear what actually goes into explant surgery.
Explant surgery isn’t just about removing implants; it’s often about correcting the changes implants cause over time. While simple removal can be straightforward, adding capsule removal requires far more precision and time.
San Diego plastic surgeon Dr. Luke Swistun explains what happens to the breasts after implants are removed and why removal alone doesn’t always deliver the look women want. Hear how lifts, auto-augmentation, and fat transfer can help restore shape using your own tissue.
Dr. Swistun walks through how to think about long-term goals, costs, and recovery, and why doing it right the first time can mean fewer surgeries down the road.
Links
Meet San Diego explant surgeon Dr. Luke Swistun https://www.ljcsc.com/about/meet-the-team/plastic-surgeons/dr-luke-swistun/
View cosmetic surgery prices (https://www.ljcsc.com/pricing-promotions/plastic-surgery-prices/) and before and after photos at La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre (https://www.ljcsc.com/gallery/)
Listen to our previous episode, Fuller Breasts Using Your Own Tissue? Auto-Augmentation Explained https://www.ljcsc.com/blog/podcast-fuller-breasts-using-your-own-tissue-auto-augmentation-explained/
Listen to our previous episode, What Really Happens to Your Breasts After Implant Removal https://www.ljcsc.com/blog/podcast-what-really-happens-to-your-breasts-after-implant-removal/
Listen to our previous episode, “Holistic” Explant Surgery: Buzzword or Reality? https://www.ljcsc.com/blog/podcast-holistic-explant-surgery-buzzword-or-reality/
Learn from the talented plastic surgeons inside La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre, the 12x winner of the San Diego’s Best Union-Tribune Readers Poll, global winner of the 2020 MyFaceMyBody Best Cosmetic/Plastic Surgery Practice, and the 2025 winner of Best Cosmetic Surgery Group in San Diego Magazine’s Best of San Diego Awards.
Join hostess Monique Ramsey as she takes you inside LJCSC, where dreams become real. Featuring the unique expertise of San Diego’s most loved plastic surgeons, this podcast covers the latest trends in aesthetic surgery, including breast augmentation, breast implant removal, tummy tuck, mommy makeover, labiaplasty, facelifts and rhinoplasty.
La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre is located just off the I-5 San Diego Freeway at 9850 Genesee Ave, Suite 130 in the Ximed building on the Scripps Memorial Hospital campus.
To learn more, go to https://www.ljcsc.com/ or follow the team on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ljcsc/
Watch the LJCSC Dream Team on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@LaJollaCosmeticSurgeryCentre/
The La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Podcast is a production of The Axis: https://www.theaxis.io/
Theme music: Busy People, SOOP
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:05 Why explant can cost as much more more than implants
00:01:50 What a capsule is and why it matters
00:02:35 “Factory settings” and total implant + capsule removal
00:03:27 Skin changes, sagging, and breast shape after explant
00:04:13 Lift, auto‑augmentation, and fat grafting options
00:04:48 Price ranges: augmentation vs. explant vs. capsulectomy
00:06:12 Who should consider capsule removal and why
00:09:11 Types of capsule surgery (capsulotomy, partial, total, intact, en bloc)
00:10:48 Why capsule work adds time, risk, and cost
00:11:37 How breasts look after explant and aging effects
00:13:09 Reconstructive options without implants
00:14:15 Goal‑setting: maintenance, volume, and realistic expectations
00:16:03 Upfront cost vs long‑term benefits of non‑implant options
00:18:03 Pricing info, financing, and budgeting for surgery
00:19:28 Avoiding regrets and staging surgery without “burning bridges”
00:20:51 Wrap‑up
Some women just want everything out for peace of mind.
