Breast implant illness (BII) can happen because of the breast implants themselves, harmful substances coming from the implants, or the body’s reaction to the implants.

Empowering people with knowledge about their condition and the recovery process is crucial for successful outcomes. People who understand what’s happening in their bodies and why certain treatments are recommended are more likely to stick with a protocol and achieve better results. 

That’s why I’m pleased to invite Dr. Robert Whitfield to the podcast. He is an expert plastic surgeon who’s helped thousands of women with explant surgery for breast implant illness. 

Dr. Whitfield is the author of the book “SHARP: Strategic Holistic Accelerated Recovery Program” as well as the host of the podcast “Breast Implant Illness.” I’m really glad he’s here today to share with us about his expertise in this area.

Dr. Whitfield’s Background in Oncology and Reconstruction

Dr. Whitfield’s background is in doing reconstructive surgery for breast cancer and other forms of head and neck cancer. That was what Dr. Whitfield did for almost 19 years of his career. 

During that time, there were some fundamental principles of plastic surgery he used in order to perform microsurgery. He used a microscope in the operating room and spend many, many hours creating a tissue composite, called a flap, based on whatever excision was left by the oncologic surgeon. 

It’s like a transplant of your own tissue, which is referred to as autologous, which means your body won’t reject it. This requires reestablishing blood flow and sensation, if it’s going to have sensation, so you need to hook up an artery and a vein, and once again, if it’s going to be a sensory reconstruction, you hook up a nerve as well.

In cancer cases, many times they would take out some portion of someone’s femur or their lower leg bone. Dr. Whitfield would come in, and there would be huge wounds and prosthetics, and then he’d have to reconstruct and rebuild the human body.

It’s amazing that it’s even possible to reconstruct and rebuild the human body in that way. Any of these reconstructions that couldn’t be accomplished with the patient’s own tissue required support from an implant. If it was a sarcoma involving the knee joint, for example, they would have to use a cadaver bone or a prosthetic.

Over the years, Dr. Whitfield has dealt with a number of scenarios, whether it’s with the neurosurgeons or the head and neck surgeons. Hee’s also taken care of people after cardiac surgery who ended up with an infection in their breastbone. Whatever you can name, he’s had to help take care of it.

The Transition to Explant Surgery and A Comprehensive Approach to Breast Implant Illness

Dr. Whitfield knew from people who were referred to him for breast implant reconstruction problems that if he took out the implant and all of the scar tissue and started over, if you will, and used their own tissue, then there would be zero chance, provided he got everything functioning properly from a blood flow standpoint, that they would reject it because their own tissue is not possible to reject. 

Before he knew about breast implant illness, he was doing that type of surgery for patients who had injuries from or problems with their implants due to radiation treatments or got an infection while they were getting chemotherapy, or were uncomfortable, had pain, or capsular contracture. There’s a host of reasons; some people just want to go flat.

Throughout his career, Dr. Whitfield has encountered numerous cases that have shaped his understanding of breast implant illness and its broader implications for health. He’s seen patients with a wide range of symptoms, from chronic fatigue and brain fog to autoimmune disorders and unexplained pain. These experiences have led him to develop a holistic approach to treatment that goes beyond simply removing the implants.

One of the key insights Dr. Whitfield has gained is the importance of individualized care. Every patient’s experience with breast implant illness is unique, influenced by their genetics, environmental exposures, and overall health status. This is why he insists on comprehensive testing before proceeding with explant surgery. By understanding each patient’s specific health profile, he can tailor the treatment approach to their needs.

Dr. Whitfield has also observed that many patients with breast implant illness have underlying issues with detoxification pathways. This is why he puts such emphasis on supporting the body’s natural detoxification processes both before and after surgery. He’s found that patients who focus on optimizing their detoxification pathways often experience faster and more complete recovery after explant surgery.

Understanding Breast Implant Illness

Breast implant illness is a chronic inflammatory process of which a breast implant is a component. It also involves toxicity. 

If someone has impaired detoxification based on their genetics, then they are likely to have a large toxic burden. So when you look at their urine toxicity profile, you’ll see environmental toxins like phthalates, bisphenol A, triclosan, MEPs, BPAs, parabens – things that women are often exposed to in feminine products or cosmetics. 

Heavy metals can also be seen on reports. Dr. Whitfield had a patient who had used a barrel sauna that got up to around 212 or 220°F. She started leaching from her implants, not melting but leaching, and that caused her to have a high number of heavy metals in her toxicity profile. 

Dr. Whitfield has also seen every type of mycotoxin (from mold exposure) that you can imagine. It’s a really underappreciated problem, along with Lyme. Patients tend to suffer from chronic inflammatory symptoms. 

If someone has breast implant issues, several hypotheses exist about their genetics. One, they typically all have vitamin D metabolism issues, almost universally. Invariably, they also have either methylation problems or antioxidant problems or glutathione metabolism problems. 

Of those four things mentioned, three of the four in whatever combination are usually present. And then, of course, you would imagine the worst of all those is when all four are present. Then you add in a little estrogen toxicity, and that is the soup that can make you very sick.

When planning to have an explant surgery, it’s really important for people to prepare for the surgery and then recover from it because it’s not as simple as just taking out the implant. The explant causes the body to initiate a detoxification process. 

Dr. Whitfield covers these topics in detail in his book and offers support within his practice to help women not just with the surgery but with the recovery from the whole toxicity situation.

The SHARP Method

In the SHARP method, Dr. Whitfield focuses on several key areas to help patients prepare for and recover from explant surgery:

1. Air quality: Air filtration is important because mold spores are a big problem. Dr. Whitfield recommendsJasper and IQ air filters. It has to be a very high-quality filter, not a HEPA filter.
2. Water: Dr. Whitfield recommends filtered water, and asks that his patients not drink out of plastic bottles. They should use glass or stainless steel so that they’re not getting other chemicals.
3. Food and nutrients: Dr. Whitfield uses liposomal formulations in his supplement line for glutathione, vitamin D3 and K2, B vitamins, and antioxidants. Then he recommends a seed oil-free, gluten-free, dairy-free diet. He recommends a plant-based protein powder in his practice so that all of his clients can use it. 
4. Sleep: Women have a lot more sleep disturbance because they have a lot less testosterone to buffer out cortisol and estrogen, and they don’t get into deep sleep and stay there long enough. This impacts their ability to get growth hormone release while they’re asleep. To get the lymphatic system around the brain to clean everything out and make it all good for the next day, requires a lot of work.
5. Detoxification: Dr. Whitfield works with patients on detoxification strategies, but he’s cautious about aggressive approaches like sauna use, especially before and immediately after surgery.

The Importance of Comprehensive Testing

Dr. Whitfield has a strict approach to patient care. Before performing surgery, he requires patients to undergo several tests, including genetic, toxicity, gut health, food sensitivity, and hormone tests. Some people might find this frustrating, but Dr. Whitfield believes it’s necessary to provide proper care.

He thinks many people mistakenly believe that surgery alone will solve their problems. However, based on his extensive experience, he knows that surgery actually causes inflammation in the body. 

If patients haven’t followed his recommended process before surgery, they may face additional challenges during recovery. This is because the surgery will add acute inflammation on top of any existing chronic inflammation in their body. Without proper preparation, this can make the healing process more difficult for patients.

The Importance of Support During Surgery Recovery

Dr. Whitfield believes that comprehensive care before, during, and after surgery is very important. His team uses special techniques to reduce pain and nausea during surgery, minimizing the need for strong painkillers. They start preparing patients the night before surgery with various medications.

After surgery, patients receive several treatments to help them recover quickly. These include special oxygen therapy, light therapy, and massage devices. The team also focuses on proper diet and supplements to reduce swelling and promote healing.

Support is crucial for recovery. Patients who have good support from family, friends, and healthcare providers tend to do better. 

He also emphasizes the importance of mental and emotional health during recovery. He recognizes that breast implant illness can affect a person’s mental state, and addressing this is an important part of the healing process.

The Connection Between Breast Implant Illness and Other Health Issues

People with breast implant illness often have other health issues too. These can include thyroid problems, autoimmune diseases, and sometimes even cancer.

Dr. Whitfield is particularly worried about how breast implants might affect the immune system. One of his patients, a young woman, developed a brain tumor while dealing with breast implant illness. This made him realize how widely this condition can impact overall health.

Because of these observations, he believes in looking at a person’s whole health, not just their breast implants. He encourages his patients to think about their overall wellness.

Inflammation is a big problem for people with breast implant illness. This inflammation can cause many of their symptoms. It can happen because of the implants themselves, harmful substances coming from the implants, or the body’s reaction to the implants.

Dealing with this inflammation is very important for getting better. Ways to reduce inflammation include changes in diet, special supplements, and different therapies. When patients work on lowering their overall inflammation, their symptoms often get much better.

Longevity and Health Optimization

Dr. Whitfield’s book, SHARP, is really a methodology you can use not just for surgical recovery. The book is about a method to reduce inflammation, which can help not only with healing after surgery but also improving overall health. Living longer means keeping our organs healthy.

Good sleep is very important. If someone has disturbed sleep, as shown by devices like smart watches, they should get a sleep test. Sleep problems like sleep apnea can harm brain health. Using a CPAP machine can help protect the brain if someone has sleep apnea.

For lung health, not smoking is important. It’s also advised to be aware of harmful substances in work environments and use proper protection.

Heart health, lung health, and blood circulation are all connected. Some people, especially women with certain genetic traits, might be more likely to have mood and inflammation issues.

Heart health is important when looking at liver or kidney problems. The liver plays a big role in cleaning toxins from our body, while the kidneys filter things out.

Overall, reducing inflammation is key to living longer and healthier. This involves considering genetics, avoiding toxins, and paying attention to air quality, water quality, and food quality. By focusing on these things, we might prevent diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, heart problems, and organ damage. 

Living longer means finding ways to reduce inflammation in the body. This goes back to basics like how we sleep, what we eat and drink, and the air we breathe.

Conclusion and Next Steps

I’m so grateful that Dr. Whitfield is offering this support for women who are in this situation and realizing they need to do something about it. By the time a person realizes they have Breast Implant Illness, they are likely to be in great need to address it instead of waiting longer and feeling worse. 

I’m so glad Dr. Whitfield has written his book “SHARP: Strategic Holistic Accelerated Recovery Program“, which is such a great guide for people who are going through breast implant illness and recovering from it.

For those patients who are interested in learning more about breast implant illness, you can check out his website here. Dr. Whitfield also has a podcast called Breast Implant Illness Podcast. You can also find him on Instagram @breastimplantillnessexpert and Facebook @Dr. Robert Whitfield MD.

If you have breast implants, and you’re wondering what to do, please know that I have helped dozens of women through the process of preparing for explant surgery, and the subsequent detoxification and recovery that comes after the surgery. I am happy to guide you through the process so that you can reclaim your health.

Whether you’re dealing with chronic pain, gut issues, fatigue, autoimmune issues, HPV, sleep apnea, or simply want to optimize your overall health, a holistic and natural approach is really a game-changer.

I am living proof that it is possible to heal holistically and naturally. It’s possible to heal from migraines, not to feel pain while having hypermobility, clear HPV and reverse abnormal cells, and eliminate the effects of stress, trauma, anxiety and depression. 

It’s possible to reset our stress hormones, detoxify, and help our body and mind to recover. I help patients with to do this in my practice every day – by phone and zoom, anywhere in the world. You can set up a one-on-one appointment here.

To learn more about my approach to healing from all of this using my Stress Recovery Protocol which involves optimizing cortisol and adrenaline levels to heal the adrenals, as well as neurotransmitters, using nutrients, herbs and C.A.R.E.™ – my proprietary program to support clean eating, adequate sleep, stress recovery and exercise – I encourage you to read all about it in my latest book Master Your Stress Reset Your Health.

If you would like to learn how to do a detox to improve your overall health and wellness I definitely encourage you to check out my new 14-Day Detox Program. This program includes two protein shakes per day with 18 grams of protein, and two meals per day with a meal plan that I created based on making sure you get at least 20 grams of protein in each meal. 

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It also includes antioxidants, and videos from me to teach you to use mindfulness, as well as to replace toxins in your food and home. In this way, you can reset your diet, lifestyle, and cell health all carrying on with your daily activities and routine.

Thank you again so much for joining us, Dr. Whitfield. And thank you everyone for joining us here at How Humans Heal. Please make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode. I’ll see you soon!

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