Cosmetic Surgery

I Got My Breast Implants Removed 4 Years Ago. Here's What Nobody Tells You. - April 14, 2026 - La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre
Nearly four years ago, Janelle woke up from breast explant surgery, placed her hands on her chest, and felt free for the first time in 22 years.
She's back to share what life looks like on the other side: not just the physical recovery, but the emotional unraveling that came with it. A divorce, a new body, a whole new wardrobe, and a complete reimagining of what confidence even means.
Hear how Janelle went from daily naps and mystery joint pain to “vibrating really high” at almost 48.
Listen for her advice if you're quietly wondering whether your body is still telling your story or someone else's. Because confidence, she'll tell you, isn't about cup size. It's about how you walk through life.
Links
Listen to Janelle’s experience when she first had her breast implant removal. Patient Janelle: Why I had my breast implants removed after 22 years https://www.ljcsc.com/blog/podcast-patient-janelle-why-i-had-my-breast-implants-removed-after-22-years/
Follow Janelle on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/janellebird_/
Learn more about breast implant-associated illness (BII) https://www.ljcsc.com/blog/about-breast-implant-associated-illness/
Meet Janelle's plastic surgeon, Dr. Luke Swistun: https://www.ljcsc.com/about/meet-the-team/plastic-surgeons/dr-luke-swistun/
Learn more about breast implant removal with capsulectomy https://www.ljcsc.com/procedures/cosmetic-surgery/breast/breast-implant-capsulectomy/
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, the 2025 winner of Best Cosmetic Surgery Group in San Diego Magazine’s Best of San Diego Awards, and global winner of the 2020 MyFaceMyBody Best Cosmetic/Plastic Surgery Practice.
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 Introduction & Janelle's return
00:40 What's changed four years after explant
01:55 Going through divorce and embracing a new body
04:26 Mindset going into surgery
06:19 Long-term health improvements
08:55 Upper body strength recovery
11:33 Energy, joint pain, and daily life
14:27 Body image and learning to love the mirror
17:00 Rediscovering style and dressing your new body
18:26 Advice for anyone considering explant surgery
Dr. Brahme Reacts to Jim Carrey's New Face - April 7, 2026 - La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre
After his César Awards appearance, the internet speculated that Jim Carrey might be a clone, and honestly, the reaction wasn't totally unwarranted.
Dr. Johan Brahme, a San Diego plastic surgeon who has helped well over one thousand people refresh their appearance with a facelift, walks us through what actually changed, what worked, and where things went a step too far.
Find out why brow lift surgery on men almost always backfires, what a facelift can realistically do for the aging male face, and why the best results are the ones where people just say, "You look great, did you do something different?"
Links
Page Six, Plastic surgeon weighs in on Jim Carrey’s ‘major surgical transformation’ after clone debacle https://pagesix.com/2026/03/03/celebrity-news/plastic-surgeon-weighs-in-on-jim-carreys-major-surgical-transformation-after-clone-debacle/
EvoData on YouTube, Evolution: Jim Carrey From 1983 To 2024 https://youtu.be/Rk9A9LJR3BE?si=cDVOf9Zh3a6EKxX6
Meet San Diego plastic surgeon Dr. Johan Brahme https://www.ljcsc.com/about/meet-the-team/plastic-surgeons/dr-johan-brahme/
Learn more about facelift ,https://www.ljcsc.com/procedures/cosmetic-surgery/face/facelift/ , neck lift, https://www.ljcsc.com/procedures/cosmetic-surgery/face/neck-lift-rejuvenation/ and brow lift https://www.ljcsc.com/procedures/cosmetic-surgery/face/brow-lift/
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 Intro & Jim Carrey “Clone” Theory
00:41 Meet the Facelift Expert
01:12 How the Face Ages
04:06 2026 Photo: What Changed?
04:59 Neck Aging Explained
06:26 Why Botox Doesn’t Work for Neck
08:57 Evidence of Face & Neck Lift
10:49 Brow Lift Mistake Breakdown
12:23 Why Brow Lifts Don’t Work for Men
13:56 Better Fix: Eyelid Surgery
17:38 Final Results: What Looks Off
18:28 Under-Eye Treatments Explained
22:38 Clone Theory Debunked
24:07 How to Avoid Looking Overdone
29:34 When to Plan Surgery & Final Advice
Is the “Yoga Boob” Look Taking Over? - March 31, 2026 - La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre
Bigger isn’t always better, and women are realizing it after living with breast implants.
San Diego plastic surgeon Dr. Luke Swistun talks about the shift toward smaller, more natural-looking breasts. Everyone on social media is calling them “yoga boobs” or “ballerina boobs.”
Hear why more women are choosing to remove their implants, what they want instead, and how you can still get shape and volume using your own tissue.
Sometimes the result you’re happiest with is the one that feels the most like you.
Links
Meet San Diego explant surgeon Dr. Luke Swistun https://www.ljcsc.com/about/meet-the-team/plastic-surgeons/dr-luke-swistun/
Book your free breast implant removal consultation with Dr. Swistun https://b.link/luke-swistun-md
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/
Learn more about breast implant removal https://www.ljcsc.com/procedures/cosmetic-surgery/breast/breast-implant-removal/
00:00 Intro
00:05 The Shift Toward Natural, Smaller Breasts: Yoga Boobs, Ballerina Boobs & More
01:00 What Do "Yoga Boobs" and "Ballerina Boobs" Actually Mean?
02:44 How Women Feel After Going Smaller
03:09 Why the Trend Is Moving Away from the 80s & 90s Big Breast Look
04:33 How Large Implants Affect Athletic Performance and Posture
05:47 Neck, Shoulder & Back Pain: Large Breasts vs. Large Implants
06:08 What Patients Hope to Achieve After Implant Removal
07:32 Auto Augmentation Explained: Lift with Tissue Preservation
08:37 Biggest Concerns About Shape & Volume After Explant
09:51 How to Add Volume Without an Implant: Fat Grafting Options
10:43 Approaching Breast Augmentation for First-Time Patients
11:24 Serial Fat Transfers: Building Volume Over Multiple Sessions
14:06 Limits of Explant Results Based on Skin & Tissue Quality
15:18 What Is a Hybrid Breast Augmentation?
16:19 The 80/20 Rule: How Many Patients Come Back for More Volume?
17:59 Do Women Ever Want Their Implants Back After Explant?
19:23 How Age and Life Stage Affect the Decision to Explant
20:43 Aesthetic Preference vs. Long-Term Health and Lifestyle Concerns
21:52 Why Explant Patients Often Look Younger and Slimmer
23:18 Recovery Surprises: Less Pain Than Expected
25:11 Options for Implants That Feel Too Big or Too Fake
27:21 Dr. Swistun's Key Advice Before Downsizing or Removing Implants
28:02 Wrap-Up
Lipo vs. Tummy Tuck: Which Will Actually Flatten Your Stomach? - March 24, 2026 - La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre
Lipo or tummy tuck—how do you know which one you need?
San Diego plastic surgeon Dr. Hector Salazar and Monique talk through the difference between liposuction and a tummy tuck, and why the right choice isn’t always obvious. Skin quality, muscle separation, and deeper layers like fascia all play a role in what will give you the result you want.
They get into body contouring scars, recovery, why “less invasive” doesn’t always mean better, and where options like Renuvion and fat transfer come in.
If you’re trying to figure out what you really need to make your tummy flatter, this conversation is a good reminder: it’s not one-size-fits-all, and having a surgeon you trust makes all the difference.
Links
Read more about La Jolla plastic surgeon Dr. Hector Salazar-Reyes https://www.ljcsc.com/about/meet-the-team/plastic-surgeons/dr-hector-salazar-reyes/
Learn more about tummy tuck https://www.ljcsc.com/procedures/cosmetic-surgery/body/tummy-tuck/ and liposuction https://www.ljcsc.com/procedures/cosmetic-surgery/body/liposuction/
Listen to our episode about Dr. Salazar’s signature BellaButton tummy tuck technique Why Your Belly Button is the Most Important Part of a Tummy Tuck https://www.ljcsc.com/blog/podcast-why-your-belly-button-is-the-most-important-part-of-a-tummy-tuck/
Listen to our episode about plastic surgery incisions Why Scars are a Trade-Off You Won’t Regret https://www.ljcsc.com/blog/podcast-why-scars-are-a-trade-off-you-wont-regret/
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 Intro
01:35 The Layers of Your Abdomen Explained
04:07 How Surgeons Actually Evaluate You for Lipo vs. Tummy Tuck
06:14 Pregnancy, Muscle Separation & the Fascia "Rubber Band"
10:29 Who Is the Ideal Candidate for Liposuction Alone?
12:39 When Liposuction Can Actually Make Things Worse
13:39 The Real Benefits of a Tummy Tuck (and When You Need One)
16:28 Tummy Tuck Scars: Length, Placement & How Surgeons Close Them
23:25 Love Handles & Extended Tummy Tucks: Lipo or Surgery?
26:22 Recovery: Lipo vs. Tummy Tuck Differences
28:07 Nanofat Injections & Scar Healing
29:23 What Renuvion Does (and What It Can't Do)
The Hidden Dangers of Going Outside the US for Plastic Surgery - March 18, 2026 - La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre
More than half of people who travel abroad for cosmetic surgery end up needing additional medical care when they return home.
Monique and Hannah discuss the hidden risks of medical tourism, from missing post-operative care and limited follow-up to the financial fallout when complications happen back in the U.S.
They also talk about why social media is driving more people to consider surgery overseas, what most people underestimate about recovery, and why researching your surgeon, your facility, and your post-op plan matters just as much as the procedure itself.
When it comes to plastic surgery, the cheapest option can quickly become the most expensive.
Links
Listen to our previous episode, Plastic Surgery Doesn’t End When the Procedure is Over https://www.ljcsc.com/blog/podcast-plastic-surgery-doesnt-end-when-the-procedure-is-over/
American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Medical Tourism for Cosmetic Surgery High Risk of Complications, High Costs for Treatment https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/press-releases/medical-tourism-for-cosmetic-surgery-high-risk-of-complications-high-costs-for-treatment
American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Will economic uncertainty drive more patients overseas for plastic surgery? What to consider and how to stretch your dollar back home https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/articles/will-economic-uncertainty-drive-more-patients-overseas-for-plastic-surgery-what-to-consider-and-how-to-stretch-your-dollar-back-home
The Guardian, NHS spending up to £19k a time treating people suffering after overseas surgery, research finds https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jan/13/nhs-spending-up-to-19k-a-time-treating-people-suffering-after-overseas-surgery-research-finds
PubMed Central, Costs Versus Complications: Public Perspectives on International Cosmetic Surgery Tourism https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11298143/
UT Southwestern Medical Center, Risks to consider before getting plastic surgery abroad https://utswmed.org/medblog/plastic-surgery-medical-tourism/
Learn more about patient safety https://www.ljcsc.com/your-dream-starts-here/your-safety/
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 Is surgery abroad really cheaper?
00:57 How overseas surgical care differs from the US
01:59 Flying home too soon and lack of follow‑up
03:43 When “cheap” surgery ends up costing more
04:42 Real complication stats from medical tourism
07:17 Why revision after tourism is so difficult
08:43 Studies on why people still go abroad
12:22 Influencers glamorizing surgery vacations
13:45 Travel and “hidden” costs that erase savings
17:14 Why tummy tucks are especially risky overseas
19:14 Blood clots, long flights, and embolism risk
21:19 How stress and poor support slow healing
22:47 Missing lymphatic massage and aftercare abroad
23:45 Deaths and anesthesia concerns in tourism hubs
26:27 US surgeons treating tourism complications
30:35 Questions to ask before booking surgery overseas