Gynecology Care: Pap Smear & Cultures
Gynecology care in Houston, TX: Pap smear, vaginal cultures and infection treatment. In Spanish, with affordable pricing.
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The birth control implant in your arm has an expiration date, and you may also want it out sooner because you're planning a pregnancy or prefer another method. At the clinic the removal is done during the visit, with local anesthesia and a tiny incision, and every step is explained to you.
What should you know before coming in?
- Bring the card or paper with your insertion date, if you have it
- Let us know if you take aspirin or other blood thinners
- Eat something light beforehand; no fasting is needed
- If you want to start another method right away, say so when you arrive so it can be planned together
How is the implant removed?
- The medical team feels your arm to locate the rod under the skin.
- The area is cleaned and numbed with a fine needle.
- A very small cut is made at one end of the implant.
- The rod is gently pushed out and checked to make sure it came out whole.
- The cut is closed with adhesive strips and a pressure bandage is applied.
It usually takes 10 to 20 minutes, and you'll mostly feel pressure because the skin is already numb.
What if the implant can't be felt?
Sometimes the rod sits deeper or has shifted slightly. If it can't be located by touch, there's no blind attempt to remove it: a referral is arranged for an imaging study or a specialist.
How do you care for your arm afterward?
- Keep the pressure bandage dry and on for as long as instructed
- Leave the adhesive strips for a few days until the cut closes
- A bruise or some soreness is normal and improves within days
- Come back if the skin around the cut gets hot and redder each day, yellow fluid drains or you run a temperature
What about pregnancy protection?
Once the implant is out, fertility returns quickly. If you're not trying to get pregnant, you need another method right away: the medical team can start you on the pill or the shot during the same visit. No appointment needed; come to the Airline Drive clinic with your insertion date handy.
Included in this service
Outpatient procedure
Local anesthesia
Trained staff
After-care explained
Ready to schedule your appointment?
Call us now or visit us — no appointment needed
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Fertility usually returns quickly once the rod is removed. If you're not planning a pregnancy, start another method right then; the clinic can start you on the pill or the shot during the same visit.
The cut is only a few millimeters long, so it usually leaves a small mark that fades over time. Keeping the wound clean and dry and not pulling the adhesive strips off early helps it heal well.
Leaving it in isn't dangerous, but it no longer protects you from pregnancy reliably. Use condoms in the meantime and come in to have it removed; the procedure is the same as for an implant that hasn't expired.
