Crystal Heffner, celebrity model and wife of the late Hugh Heffner recently opened up to her fans and the public about her decision to remove her breast implants. She released a photo after her recovery from her explanting surgery along with details about her story:

Crystal Heffner Explains Why She Removed Her Breast Implants

“My Breast Implants Slowly Poisoned Me

Intolerance to foods and beverages, unexplained back pain, constant neck and shoulder pain, cognitive dysfunction (brain fog, memory loss), stunted hair growth, incapacitating fatigue, burning bladder pain, low immunity, recurring infections and problems with my thyroid and adrenals.

The mildest of those symptoms started a few years back. The aches, the bladder pain, brain fog, fatigue. I ignored it, labeling myself a hypochondriac, despite truly worrying that there was something wrong with me. I joked about losing my memory to age, and about getting “lazy”. I began to cancel appointments and shoots because everything exhausted me. Before everything went downhill I was at the gym five days a week, and always shooting and working.

I’ve had days in 2016 when I couldn’t get out of bed. I’ve felt such despair knowing life was happening all around me but I couldn’t participate.

I had to miss my Summer DJ residency at my favorite Vegas spot, the Rehab pool at The Hard Rock Hotel. The fatigue was so severe that I could barely leave the house or drive. I was afraid to get up there in front of a crowd and go blank with brain fog.

I had a bunch of spare photos that have enabled me to stay active on social media for the last six months. I’ve tried to keep a facade of normalcy while working to figure out what was going on with my body.

Once I became allergic to most every food, had intolerable pain, developed stomach issues and night sweats, I began to research. I found a holistic doctor (Dr. Farshid Rahbar) and was tested for everything.

After I was diagnosed with Lyme disease and toxic mold, I posted about it on social media. I began to receive comments saying that my symptoms resembled “Breast Implant Illness.”

I found a Breast Implant Illness website and Facebook group with almost 3,000 members. My symptoms matched theirs.

Over time, implants (both silicone and saline) break down and wreak havoc on your body. The shell on silicone and saline implants is comprised of silicone and over 40 other toxic chemicals: tin, zinc, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, formaldehyde and talc to name a few. Your immune system is constantly fighting them, leaving you vulnerable to other illnesses.

The estimated time frame for these bags to start falling apart is 8-10 years, although some people experience problems soon after implanting and some much later.

Breast implant removal surgery is now the 10th most performed surgery in the United States. Breast implants aren’t as popular as they once were and I’m happy to see that.

I explanted with Dr Lu-Jean Feng on June 15th, 2016. I believe she is the best in the country at what she does. Instantly I noticed my neck and shoulder pain was gone and I could breathe much better. I know I won’t feel 100% overnight. My implants took 8 years to make me this sick, so I know it will take time to feel better. I also have other illnesses to address, but with the toxic bags removed, my immune system can focus on what it needs to.

If you know anyone with implants (breast, buttock, or any other type) who hasn’t felt well, (low thyroid, fibromyalgia, food intolerance, immune disorders, insomnia, fatigue, aches, pains, anxiety, brain fog) please let them know that Implant Illness is real and could be the problem.

Many of my friends have implants. I worry for their health and hope that they, and everyone, can benefit from what I have experienced.

Thank you,

Crystal” (1)

Are Breast Implants Safe?

Crystal Heffner’s experience, although painful, is unfortunately not rare. Cosmetic surgery has increased in popularity in the United States; according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons over 99,000 women received a “breast lift” surgery in 2015 alone- a drastic jump from 52,000 in 2000, including women who want larger or more shaped breasts for cosmetic reasons and women who have had mastectomies and want to feel as normal as possible. (2)

Out of all of the women who undergo breast implantation surgery, 100% of them need to remove their implants after a number of years to avoid (or reduce) complications. The fact is, the FDA states that breast implants are not intended to be permanent (while simultaneously claiming they are safe): (3)

“Breast implants are not lifetime devices… The longer you have breast implants, the more likely it is that complications will occur and you will need to have them removed.“

There are a number of complications and side effects that can occur after breast augmentation surgery, including (3):

• Capsular contracture (scar tissue that forms around the implant and squeezes the implant)
• Breast pain, swelling, rash or bruising
• Changes in nipple and breast sensation
• Rupture with or without symptoms of silicone gel-filled implants
• Breast tissue atrophy
• Calcification (hard lumps forming around the implant)
• Extrusion (the skin atrophies and the implant becomes visible through it)
• Toxic shock syndrome
• Lymphedema (swollen lymph nodes)

The Bottom Line

While some women simply choose to replace their implants with new ones after 8-10 years have passed, many others decide they feel more comfortable and healthy without implants. Of course, the best option is to avoid having breast augmentation altogether!

The human body is beautifully diverse. Every woman has her own unique shape and features and even these don’t stay the same over time. The healthiest approach for every person is to learn to appreciate their own unique beauty; no matter how age has changed them, no matter who the media compares them to, and no matter what challenges they’ve faced through various seasons of life.