Contraceptive Implant Removal in Belfast City Centre

Most implants are placed under the upper arm where there is usually some fatty tissue.

The doctor will examine your arm and feel for the implant. She will then push the contraceptive implant towards the surface of the skin and mark the skin with an X where the end of the implant is visible. This mark may be in a different area than the scar you have from insertion of your implant.

The skin will be cleaned with iodine solution to ensure it is sterile. Next a small area is injected with freezing liquid to ensure the procedure is not painful.

After five minutes the doctor will test that your skin is numb and if so, she will make a small cut in the skin approximately half cm wide with a sharp scalpel. The doctor will then push the contraceptive implant up towards the skin until it’s tip is seen. Then the doctor will prize the implant gently away from the attached tissue until it pops out.

Once the implant is removed the skin is then closed over with some paper strips and a dressing. If a larger cut is needed to locate the implant suture /stitches may be needed to close the skin cleanly.

The contraceptive implant is a thin, flexible rod about 4cm long. It’s inserted under the skin of your upper arm. The implant stops the release of an egg from the ovary by slowly releasing progestogen into your body. Progestogen also thickens the cervical mucus and thins the womb lining. This makes it harder for sperm to move through your cervix, and less likely for your womb to accept a fertilised egg.

If implanted correctly, it’s more than 99% effective.

No, the doctor will ensure the freezing liquid (local anaesthetic) has worked by testing the skin above the implant before making a cut.

This depends on how long you have had the implant in place for. Some women start bleeding within 4 weeks but some take longer.

Generally you will not ovulate again until 2 weeks after your first bleed/period but it can vary if your cycle is irregular or if you have polycystic ovaries.

Sometimes the implant can be embedded in the skin and the doctor will have to spend more time dissecting the fibrous tissue around the implant so that it can come out easily. In rare cases it can be very difficult to remove the implant even though it was felt from the outside. If the tip of the implant cannot be felt, the doctor will recommend having an ultrasound to locate the implant and then have it removed. This is disappointing when someone needs it removed due to side-effects, but is essential. Referral usually happens in a specialist family planning clinic. A refund can be discussed with us in this case.

If the doctor can just feel the implant but it is deep below the adipose tissue, the doctor will discuss removal in the clinic. This can be done but you will have a larger scar to allow access to the implant if it is sitting deep below the skin. You will also need to have stitches put in place and therefore have to come back to have them removed.