Can you feel it under your skin or see it through your arm, and what’s the removal process like (is it painful or scary)?

Q: Can you feel it under your skin or see it through your arm, and what’s the removal process like (is it painful or scary)?A: Most people can feel the implant as a small, firm, flexible rod under the skin if they press on the area with their fingers. You usually can’t see it unless you’re very lean or looking closely; it might show up as a slight line or bump, plus a tiny scar from insertion.Removal is done in a clinic with numbing medicine. The provider makes a tiny cut, gently pushes the rod out, and bandages you up. The whole thing usually takes a few minutes.Pain-wise: the numbing shot stings, then you mostly feel pressure and weird tugging, not sharp pain. Is it scary in theory? Yes. In reality, most people say it was way less dramatic than they expected.If you want to talk through your specific fears before you’re in the exam room, unload them on Gush so you don’t have to white-knuckle it alone.

Can you feel or see the implant and what is removal like?

What the implant feels like under your skin

The implant is designed to sit just under the skin of your inner upper arm (non-dominant arm for most people).What it usually feels like:- A small, smooth rod about 4 cm long.- Firm but slightly flexible.- You can feel both ends if you press with your fingertips and roll the skin.You shouldn’t need to dig for it or press hard. Once the swelling from insertion goes down (a few days), it should be pretty easy to find.If you *can’t* feel it:- It might be placed deeper than ideal.- It may be sitting under more fat tissue.- Rarely, it can migrate a bit from the original spot.If you ever cannot feel it at all, or only one end, check in with a provider. They can find it with touch, ultrasound, or an X-ray (modern implants are radiopaque).

Can you see the implant through your arm?

Visually, the implant is pretty low key.You might notice:- A tiny insertion scar (a few millimeters).- A faint line or bump under the skin when you extend your arm.It’s usually *more* visible if:- You have lower body fat in your arms.- Your skin is very thin.It’s usually *less* visible if:- You have more fat or muscle in that area.- There’s any lingering swelling or a bit of scar tissue.Other people aren’t staring at your triceps hard enough to clock it unless you show them. This is not an IUD string situation where partners randomly feel it during sex.Your version of "normal" might not match the diagrams in brochures, and that’s fine. If something about how it looks or feels is bugging you, bring it to Gush and get a reality check that isn’t just WebMD panic.

Red flags in how your implant looks or feels

Keep an eye out for:- Redness, warmth, or swelling that gets worse instead of better.- Pus or weird discharge from the insertion site.- Sharp, ongoing pain in the area.- Numbness, tingling, or weakness in your hand or arm.- The implant feeling like it snapped or you can only feel part of it.These are not "tough it out" moments. They’re "my body is telling me something" moments.Most implant placements are uneventful. But if anything feels infected, intensely painful, or just very wrong, get it checked.

What actually happens during implant removal

Removal is way less intense than the horror stories your anxiety is writing.Typical steps:1. Positioning:- You lie on your back with your arm out to the side.2. Finding the implant:- The provider feels for both ends of the rod and may mark them with a pen.3. Cleaning & numbing:- They clean the skin with an antiseptic (cold swipe).- You get a local anesthetic injection over one end of the implant.- This is the part that burns or stings for a few seconds.4. Small incision:- Once it’s numb, they make a tiny cut (a few millimeters) in the skin over the end.5. Pushing the implant out:- They press on the arm to ease the rod toward the incision.- They grab it with a little tool and slide it out.6. Closing up:- Steri-strips or a tiny bandage go over the cut.- Pressure bandage may go on for 24 hours to limit bruising.The whole thing often takes 5–10 minutes once they actually start.

Does implant removal hurt?

You’ll likely feel:- The numbing injection: a sharp sting and burn for a few seconds.- Then: pressure, tugging, maybe some weird, deep sensations as the rod moves.You should *not* feel sharp, cutting pain during the actual removal. If you do, say something; they can add more numbing.Afterward:- The area can be sore or bruised for a few days.- Think: bumped-your-arm-on-a-doorframe ache, not broken-bone agony.Tips to make it less miserable:- Eat beforehand so you’re not lightheaded.- Tell your provider if you’re anxious; they’ve seen fainters and criers before.- Bring headphones and a playlist or podcast.- Ask them to narrate *or* not narrate, depending on what calms you.You’re allowed to be scared and still do it. Both can be true.

Scarring, bruising, and healing

After removal, expect:- A tiny scar where they cut.- Some bruising or yellowish discoloration for a week or so.- Mild tenderness.Basic aftercare:- Keep the bandage clean and dry as instructed.- Avoid heavy lifting or intense arm workouts for a day or two.- Watch for increasing redness, heat, or pus (signs of infection).Scars usually fade a lot over months. For many people, it just looks like a little line or freckle.

What happens to your cycle after the implant comes out

Hormonally, once the rod is out:- Etonogestrel levels fall fast.- Your brain starts sending normal GnRH pulses again.- FSH rises, follicles wake up.- Estrogen climbs, you re-enter a proper follicular phase.- You’ll likely ovulate within a few weeks.Bleeding-wise:- Some people get a light withdrawal bleed.- Many have their first real period 4–6 weeks later.- If you were irregular pre-implant, expect that pattern to likely return.Fertility can return *immediately* after removal. If pregnancy is not the plan, have another method ready to go that same day.You don’t have to muscle through confusion or fear about any of this in silence. If you’re staring at your arm, your calendar, or your test strips wondering what the hell is normal, Gush is there to walk through it with you, no judgment, no shaming, just facts and feelings allowed.