Breast Implant Removal
Procedure overview, techniques, risks and what to expect across Australia.
View procedure guideBreast Implant Removal Cost Australia
Explant price guide, fees and what affects cost.
This Australia-wide guide explains typical breast implant removal (explant) costs, how fees are structured, when Medicare/private health may apply, and why prices vary. Compare removal only vs capsulectomy and removal with a breast lift, then request a personalised written estimate.
$6k-$9.5k
Typical total for removal only (no lift), varies by case
$12k-$18k+
Common range for total capsulectomy (case dependent)
$15k-$25k+
Removal with breast lift (separate procedure and fees)
Clear cost breakdown
Surgeon, anaesthetist and hospital fees explained line-by-line.
Medicare/private health
When MBS criteria may apply and what it might cover.
Compare options
Removal only vs capsulectomy vs removal with lift.
Next steps
Book a consult for an exact quote and suitability advice.
Related breast implant removal resources
Explore the rest of this series to understand suitability, recovery and surgeon choice. These pages help you compare options before requesting a written cost estimate.
Compare related options
Understand when revision or replacement may be considered instead of removal alone.
Explore breast surgeryCosts, cover and finance
Learn how pricing works and what funding support might be available.
Request cost helpSecond opinions & revision help
Worried about a result, symptoms or implant issues? Get clear next steps.
Speak with our teamBreast implant removal price guide (Australia)
These typical ranges include surgeon, anaesthetist and hospital fees in private settings. Your written quote will depend on the complexity of surgery, theatre time, hospital, city and aftercare needs.
Procedure option
What’s usually included
Typical total cost (AUD)
Notes
Removal only (no lift)
Implant removal, day surgery, standard aftercare
$6,000 - $9,500
Lower end when straightforward and short theatre time
Removal + partial/total capsulectomy
Removal plus capsule tissue removal where indicated
$8,500 - $14,000+
Cost increases with extent of capsule removal
En bloc total capsulectomy
Entire implant and capsule removed as a unit when suitable
$12,000 - $18,000+
Not required or appropriate in every case; surgeon assessed
Removal with breast lift (mastopexy)
Explant plus lift to address shape/skin changes
$15,000 - $25,000+
Separate procedure and recovery; longer theatre time
How pricing is calculated
Your total fee is the sum of three main components, adjusted for complexity and time in theatre. A written quote after consultation will itemise each part.
1
Surgeon fee
Varies with experience, case complexity, technique (e.g. capsulectomy), and time required.
2
Anaesthetist fee
Usually time-based; longer surgery and higher complexity increase costs.
3
Hospital/theatre fee
Day hospital vs overnight, private hospital rates, disposable/special equipment.
4
Extras
Pathology, garments, imaging, after-hours support, and costs if a lift is added.
What affects breast implant removal cost in Australia
Prices vary across cities and hospitals, and with the surgical plan recommended at consultation. These are the most common cost drivers to consider when budgeting.
Complexity
Rupture, calcified capsule, implant position (subglandular/submuscular), prior scars
Technique
Removal only vs partial/total capsulectomy vs en bloc; addition of a lift
Theatre time
Longer operations increase anaesthesia and hospital charges
Location & facility
Private hospital rates differ between Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and regional centres
Aftercare needs
Garments, follow-up schedule and any required imaging/pathology
Rebates
Eligibility for MBS item numbers and private health cover, where medically indicated
Fee breakdown and budgeting tips
Surgeon fee
Reflects expertise and complexity. Expect higher fees for total capsulectomy or combined lift.
Major component
Anaesthetist fee
Time-based. Your quote will estimate expected duration based on plan.
Time-based
Hospital/theatre
Facility fees (day surgery vs overnight), supplies and theatre time.
Facility
Extras to confirm
Pathology, garments, imaging, after-hours care, and lift-related costs if combined.
Add-ons
Rebates & eligibility
Medical indications may allow an MBS item. Private health could help with hospital fees if covered.
Coverage
Finance options
Many patients compare payment plans and timelines for savings.
Medicare and private health for implant removal
Cover applies only when strict medical criteria are met and your surgeon uses an appropriate MBS item number. If eligible and you have the right level of private hospital cover, your hospital and anaesthetist fees may be partly covered. You’ll usually still pay a surgeon gap.
When cover may apply
Examples include documented rupture, significant capsular contracture with pain, infection or extrusion, or other medical indications recorded by your doctor.
- GP referral required for cosmetic surgery consults in Australia
- Clinical photos/imaging may be needed
- Your surgeon advises on MBS item use
What might be covered
With an eligible item and health cover, the fund may contribute to hospital and some anaesthesia costs. Rebates for the surgeon fee vary; a gap often applies.
- Hospital excess applies per policy
- Out-of-pocket costs depend on your fund
- Written quote clarifies any gaps
Next steps
Bring your referral and any prior implant details to consultation. You’ll receive a written, itemised quote and advice about potential rebates.
What Australian providers publish for implant removal and explant
Explant pricing splits sharply between providers who quote a surgeon’s fee only and those who quote a total. The gap between the two is roughly $7,000-$10,000, so compare like with like.
Provider
Published price
What it covers
Source & date checked
Dr Duncan Taylor (Perth)
Removal + capsulectomy $6,000. With replacement $10,500; with fat graft $11,000; with lift $15,000; replacement + lift $18,000
Surgeon’s fee only - page explicitly excludes anaesthetist, hospital and garments (about $600+)
drduncantaylor.com.au - page updated Jul 2025, checked 25 Aug 2026
Dr Bernard Beldholm
Simple removal from $6,990. Consult $350 (credited to surgery); Canberra +$1,000; overnight stay +$500
Surgeon fee only - page states hospital and anaesthesia are billed as separate charges
breastaestheticsaustralia.com.au - checked 25 Aug 2026
Dr Gavin Sandercoe (Sydney)
With insurance from $13,500 out of pocket; without insurance from $16,500 incl. GST
All-inclusive - surgeon, assistant, anaesthetist, hospital/facility, garment
drgavinsandercoe.com.au - page dated Dec 2024, checked 25 Aug 2026
Gold Coast Plastic Surgery
From $16,750
Starting price; page does not itemise inclusions
goldcoastplasticsurgery.com.au - page dated Jun 2024, checked 25 Aug 2026
Plastic Surgery Hub (compiler)
$8,000-$18,000 total. With lift $14,000-$24,000; exchange $10,000-$20,000
Industry compilation with components: surgeon $5,000-$8,000, anaesthetist $1,000-$2,000, hospital $2,000-$6,000
plasticsurgeryhub.com - page updated Feb 2026, checked 25 Aug 2026
Reading these figures
- Watch the fee basis closely on this procedure. Two providers above publish about $6,000-$7,000 and two publish about $13,500-$16,750. That is not a $10,000 difference in skill - the first pair are quoting surgeon fees and the second pair are quoting totals.
- Adding a lift changes the procedure and the price. Removal with mastopexy runs materially higher than removal alone across every source we found.
- A surgeon’s fee is not the price you pay. Where a provider publishes a surgeon-only fee, hospital/theatre and anaesthetist charges are billed on top and can add several thousand dollars.
- These are advertised starting prices at a point in time. They are not averages, they change frequently, and they vary by state and by complexity.
- There is no independent survey of cosmetic surgery prices in Australia. This is a compilation of what providers publish about themselves, not market research.
- Nothing here is a quote. Only an itemised written quote from a practitioner who has assessed you is reliable.
Medicare and this procedure
Implant removal can attract a Medicare rebate, but only for specific medical indications. Removal of implants that were placed cosmetically, where there is no medical complication, is not covered.
MBS item
What it covers and who qualifies
Schedule fee
45548
Breast prosthesis, removal of, as an independent procedure
$331.25
45551
Removal with excision of at least half the fibrous capsule, not with insertion of any prosthesis. Specimen must go to histopathology and the volume must be documented
$531.10
45553
Removal and replacement following a medical complication - rupture, migration, or symptomatic capsular contracture
$684.15
45554
Removal and replacement following a medical complication, including excision of at least half the capsule or formation of a new pocket
$837.15
Fees are schedule fees as at the 1 July 2026 indexation, checked 25 August 2026. Recognised medical indications include rupture, Baker III-IV capsular contracture, infection, BIA-ALCL, and interference with cancer treatment. We could not find fund-level claims data for explant comparable to what Medibank publishes for breast reduction, so we cannot tell you a typical out-of-pocket after rebate for this procedure - ask your fund directly.
A schedule fee is not a rebate. Medicare pays 75-85% of the schedule fee depending on the setting, and the gap between it and what a surgeon actually charges is yours to pay. MBS fees are reindexed every 1 July. Confirm the current fee and criteria at MBS Online rather than relying on any figure republished elsewhere - including ours.
Breast implant removal cost FAQs
Quick answers to the most common cost and coverage questions. For personalised figures, request an itemised quote.
How much does breast implant removal cost in Australia?
Removal only $6,000-$9,500; removal + partial/total capsulectomy $8,500-$14,000+; en bloc total capsulectomy $12,000-$18,000+; removal with lift $15,000-$25,000+. Prices depend on complexity, theatre time, hospital and city.
Is a lift included in the explant fee?
No. A lift is a separate procedure with additional time, fees and recovery. Many patients combine a lift to address shape or skin after removal.
Can Medicare or private health help with costs?
Only when strict medical criteria are met and an appropriate MBS item is used. With suitable private hospital cover, the fund may contribute to hospital and some anaesthetic fees. Surgeon gaps commonly apply.
Do I always need an en bloc capsulectomy?
No. The right approach depends on your anatomy, implant position, capsule state and safety considerations. Your surgeon will advise after examination and imaging where needed.
How do I get an exact quote?
Book a consultation with a GP referral, bring prior implant details if available, and have an assessment. You’ll receive a written quote itemising all fees and any potential rebates.
Confidential cost estimate request
Request an itemised quote for breast implant removal.
Tell us a little about your situation and preferred location. We’ll help you understand likely costs, whether Medicare/private health may apply, and the next best step toward a safe, personalised plan.
What you’ll receive
Clear fee breakdown, typical timelines and guidance on rebates or finance.
Australia-wide
Support across major cities and private hospital settings.
Tell us what you need and we'll match you with a clinic that will contact you directly. Free, no obligation.