How Long Do Breast Implants Last?

As I often do, I was browsing the Internet news when I came across a discussion board about breast implants. I found this question posted by a young woman; ” I know this is probably a really stupid question to ask but what really is the estimated life of an implant before you need to change it? ” Guess what? This is not a stupid question at all, in fact is a very important question to factor into your decision making process. It is also important for you to understand your long term financial investment from the beginning as well. 10 – 25 years is the most common answer a doctor will give you, others may say 10 -15 years. But that doesn’t really tell you much as an individual. Let’s explain.

Quite often women themselves decide to have revisional breast augmentation. Sometimes women want to swap out saline implants for silicone implants because silicone feel more natural looking and feeling. Other times women decide they really wanted to go a size larger (interestingly this happens quite frequently). And of course aging continues, and as you age your body changes, so do your proportions. What was once the right size in the right place is no longer. So some women come in for revisional breast surgery in order to keep the aesthetic proportions they had immediately after surgery.

Like any medical device, a breast implant will not last forever. Although the manufacturers are aiming for a device that lasts a lifetime, thus far there seems to be weakening in the structure or the implant  over time and that can lead to rupture, deflation, or leakage. In this case it is imperative to have your implant replaced. “The FDA recommends that you receive MRI screening for silent rupture 3 years after receiving your implant and every 2 years after that.” This is a cost to consider if you opt for silicone implants.

There is actually no way to predict if your implants will last toward the shorter or longer end of that time frame, because there are so many factors involved. One of the most important factors is the skill of the surgeon. The filling of saline implants sometimes contributes to rupture, or can lead to a wrinkling or rippling effect. The shaping and placement of the implant is important too. Breast augmentation patients in Little Rock, Arkansas can ask me to see before and after pictures, for references, or any technical questions they may have about the surgery. Your decision to have saline or silicone implants will depend on the look you want, and your comfort with the information you gather. At Little Rock Cosmetic Surgery Center, I believe the more educated the patient, the happier she will be.

Call Melinda to set up a consultation with me at 501-227-0707