Breast Implant Illness

Your comprehensive resource for everything related to breast implant illness

About the show

Welcome to the Breast Implant Illness Podcast, where we dive deep into the world of breast implant illness and explant surgery with expert plastic surgeon Dr. Robert Whitfield. As a board-certified plastic surgeon with almost 1000 breast explant surgeries under his belt, Dr. Whitfield brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the conversation.

Through candid interviews with patients, fellow surgeons, and other experts in the field, Dr. Whitfield explores the many facets of breast implant illness, including its symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options. He also delves into the controversial topic of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) and what patients need to know about the risks associated with breast implants.

If you're considering breast implant surgery, struggling with breast implant illness symptoms, or simply looking for more information about this important topic, then the Breast Implant Illness Podcast is the perfect resource for you. Join us for thought-provoking discussions and expert insights that will help you make informed decisions about your health and well-being.

Episodes

  • Episode 19: A Breast Explant Journey: From Sickness to Restored Health with Candice Barley

    May 30th, 2023  |  1 hr 36 mins
    breast i'plant, breast implant illness, breast implants, neural inflammation, neurological symptoms

  • Episode 18: What are the Reasons for Having Breast Explant Surgery?

    May 25th, 2023  |  7 mins 21 secs
    breast explant surgery, breast implant illness, breast implants, breast surgery

    Breast augmentation or breast implant surgery has become a more popular surgical procedure throughout the years for various reasons. While it has many benefits, it also comes with potential risks such as capsular contracture, infection, breast implant illness, and more.

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    Episode 17: What is Breast Explant Surgery?

    May 18th, 2023  |  9 mins 16 secs
    breast explant surgery, breast implants, breast surgery, explant surgery

    Breast explant surgery or breast implant removal is a surgical procedure commonly done for various reasons such as implant issues, breast reconstruction, implant rupture, dissatisfaction with the appearance of the implants, or other cosmetic purposes.

    In breast explant surgery, the implants alone may be removed or the surrounding scar tissue may also be included. In some circumstances, a breast lift may be done with the explant procedure to enhance the look of the breasts.

    In today’s episode, we’re going to discuss what breast explant surgery is and why people want to undergo such surgery.

  • Episode 16: What are the Risks of Breast Implant Surgery?

    May 11th, 2023  |  12 mins 36 secs
    breast augmentation, breast implant illness, breast implants, mastopexy, risks of breast implants

    Although undergoing breast implant surgery has benefits, it also involves short-term and long-term risks like any other surgical procedure. There could be bleeding, infection, and scarring as short-term risks while for long-term risks, there are cases involving capsular contracture.

    Reasons as to why women get breast implants vary but more than that and the benefits of having implants, they should also be informed by their provider about the risks of breast implant surgery. That’s why I’m here to discuss breast implant surgery and the risks that come with it.

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    Episode 15: Can Breast Implants Cause Neurological Symptoms?

    May 4th, 2023  |  8 mins 28 secs
    breast implant, breast implant illness, breast implants, neural inflammation, neurological symptoms

    While breast implants or breast augmentation are generally considered safe and effective, there has been growing concern about their potential link to neurological symptoms. There have been several patients over the past years complaining about symptoms of neural inflammation such as brain fog, headache, sound sensitivity and light sensitivity.

    And that’s why we’re here to shed light on this topic. In this episode, we’ll answer the concern of many as regards breast implants and whether or not they can cause neurological symptoms.

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    Episode 14: Can Breast Implants Be Removed Safely?

    April 27th, 2023  |  14 mins 14 secs
    breast explants, breast implant removal, explant risks, implant removal

  • Episode 13: Is There a Link Between Breast Implants and Cancer?

    April 20th, 2023  |  9 mins 31 secs
    breast augmentation, breast explant surgery, breast implants, plastic surgery

    I can’t emphasize enough the fact that breast implant illness remains to be a topic that’s not often talked about by many, especially in the medical community, despite its several effects. Usually, women undergo explant surgery in an effort to heal their breast implants.

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    Episode 12: How You Can Prevent Breast Implant Illness

    April 13th, 2023  |  7 mins 19 secs
    breast explant, breast implant illness, breast implant removal, breast reconstruction

    With a number of cases of women being affected by breast implant illness, there’s a need for us to ensure that everyone is fully informed about the risks, benefits and preventions for such illness as it remains to be unrecognized by many.

  • Episode 11: How Do You Know If You Have Breast Implant Illness

    April 6th, 2023  |  11 mins 30 secs
    breast explant, breast implant illness, breast implant removal, breast reconstruction

    Breast implants have been used for a relatively long time now. However, there is not enough research studies or discussions based on its effects which is why Breast Implant Illness (BII) is quite a new topic especially in the medical community and is not yet widely recognized.

  • Why I Rarely Use Drains During Breast Explant (Breast Implant Removal) Surgery [Bonus]

    March 31st, 2023  |  7 mins 37 secs

    A quick explanation with the scientific basis for why Dr. Whitfield no longer uses drains, outside of certain circumstances. He shares his alternatives for preventing and avoiding post-op inflammation.

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    How I Diagnose & Treat SIBO in Breast Explant Patients [Bonus 2]

    March 30th, 2023  |  3 mins 9 secs

    What is SIBO? Dr. Whitfield explains small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, a common BII symptom, and how he searches for SIBO-related imbalances to ensure patients aren’t going into surgery with anemia.

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    Episode 10: Recovery Following Breast Explant Surgery (Breast Implant Removal ) [Part 2]

    March 29th, 2023  |  14 mins 30 secs

    In the second half of our two-part series on recovery following breast implant removal surgery, you’ll hear more about how we help patients recover faster from breast implant removal surgery.

  • Episode 9: Recovery Following Breast Explant Surgery (Breast Implant Removal) [Part 1]

    March 28th, 2023  |  19 mins 8 secs

    It’s normal to worry about how you’ll feel waking up after surgery, and if you’re suffering from breast implant illness (BII), you may be even more worried about recovering from those symptoms.

  • Episode 8: Using Fat to Create Beautiful Breasts After Breast Implant Removal (Breast Explant Surgery)

    March 27th, 2023  |  20 mins 19 secs

  • Episode 7: Breast Implant Removal Surgery (Breast Explant Surgery)

    March 24th, 2023  |  23 mins 56 secs

    Because there are so many unknowns for women with breast implant illness, Dr. Whitfield’s approach to each and every breast implant removal surgery is as cautious and precise as the treatment of a breast cancer patient.

  • Episode 6: Your Breast Implant Removal Pre-Op Appointment: What to Expect

    March 23rd, 2023  |  9 mins 5 secs

    During the pre-op appointment, you’ll meet with Dr. Whitfield to review the surgical plan, take photos, and discuss medications. Most importantly, Dr. Whitfield will cover the ERAS recovery protocol to set you up for a smooth experience once you’re out of surgery and resting at home.