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Podcast

Navigating Breast Implant Illness with Dr. Robert Whitfield

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24 mins 55 secs
September 12

Breast implants have been around since the ’60s, but their popularity skyrocketed in the ’90s. With their popularity, it’s easy to forget the possible long-term risks involved with the procedure.

Dr. Robert Whitfield, a board-certified plastic surgeon, has over 26 years of experience in the industry conducting breast implant procedures and helping patients find relief from breast implant illness. He shares his insights on how breast implant illness is intricately linked to chronic inflammation within the body. He highlights the complexity of this issue, where symptoms like fatigue, joint pain, and brain fog are often overlooked as indicators of breast implant illness. With a focus on holistic and personalized care, Dr. Whitfield emphasizes the importance of individualized treatment plans and offers expert guidance on testing for breast implant illness, considering genetic factors and detox pathways.

In this episode, Dr. Whitfield talks to Jen about the symptoms of breast implant illness, personalized solutions for finding relief, and embracing well-being post-explant. 


Key Takeaways

  • [01:40] – Symptoms of breast implant illness.
  • [03:54] – How long post-op does breast implant illness start to affect patients?
  • [05:38] – How long has breast implant illness been affecting patients?
  • [07:22] – Types of implants that cause breast implant illness.
  • [08:50] – How Dr. Whitfield tests for breast implant illness.
  • [10:25] – The approach to addressing breast implant illness.
  • [13:42] – Advice for people considering breast implants.
  • [15:30] – Pre-op recommendations for lower inflammation.
  • [16:14] – How patients feel after implants have been removed.
  • [19:15] – Safe alternative to breast lifts.
  • [21:23] – Dr. Whitfield’s specialties.


Quotes

[01:54] – “Breast implant illness, to me, is a cascade of chronic inflammation.” ~ Dr. Robert Whitfield

[06:53] – “An implant just plays one role in the cascade of inflammation. There’s a lot of other things involved.” ~ Dr. Robert Whitfield

[16:44] – “If you had a problem for many, many years and I operated on you, I didn’t solve it in a moment in the operation room.” ~ Dr. Robert Whitfield


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