“Dr. Norris, do breast implants have to be replaced? How often?” I’ve been asked these questions by women who are considering breast implant surgery, as well as those who have been living with their implants for close to a decade.

In today’s post, I’m going to share current research results and information so you can decide. Do breast implants, in fact, have a “shelf life” that requires they be replaced or removed? Or is it better to follow the adage, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it?”

Lifetime Commitment that Millions of Women Make

Breast augmentation continues to be the leading cosmetic surgery procedure worldwide. The U.S. leads the way with nearly 300,000 American women opting for cosmetic breast implants and more than 70,000 women receiving implants for breast reconstruction every year (Source: American Society of Plastic Surgeons).

Silicone-gel implants are the most common kind, and they have been radically transformed through the years. They’re safer and have greater longevity than ever before. The most modern implants last 20-25 years—that’s a 10 year improvement from the original 1960s and 70s devices.

They are not, however, a once-in-a-lifetime investment.

“One in five women who receive breast implants for cosmetic reasons will have them removed within 10 years – and the proportion is even higher for women who get the implants after breast cancer.” – CBS News

A woman who has implants in her 20’s may expect to have further operations throughout her lifetime to maintain the implants’ beneficial effects.

Get Your Surgeon’s Advice On Replacing Breast Implants

“The longer you have the implant, the more likely you are to have complications,” Jeff Shure, the FDA’s medical device chief, said in an interview with the Columbia Broadcasting Service. He recommends that women visit their surgeon for regular checkups to ensure that their breast implants are in good shape.

It’s good advice, yet many women fail to follow it. “When women are happy with their implants they tend to feel that a regular follow-up is pointless,” says Dr. Phillip Haeck, President of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. “It becomes a nuisance and an unnecessary expense.”

5 Signs That Breast Implants Should be Replaced

In addition to regular check-ups with your surgeon, here are five signs that indicate it may be time to schedule an appointment to have your implants “serviced”:

Scar tissue that hardens around the implant causing discomfort (also called capsular contracture)
Scar tissue that hardens causing the shape of the breast to warp
Wrinkling
A lopsided appearance due to other changes in the body
Implant rupture

The weight of the implant used may also affect how your breast implants appear as time passes. And finally, gravity and the effects of ageing eventually alter breast size, making the replacement of implants a wise choice.

That being said, unless you become pregnant, gain a significant amount of weight, or slim down significantly, your new breast shape should remain fairly stable.

Revision Surgery

The procedure to remove and/or replace breast implants – “revision surgery” – may be lengthier and more complicated than the original implant procedure. This is due to scar tissue that may have developed and possible adjustments needed due to changes in the skin around the breasts.

For this reason, I recommend that you maintain a close relationship with your surgeon. The better your surgeon knows you and your medical history, the more effective he/she will be in taking care of your breast needs.

Still have questions or need more info?

Our highly trained front desk staff have an enormous amount of knowledge about all our procedures, especially breast implants. Feel free to give them a call today (9-5) or drop them a line using the form below to find out more or ask any specific questions you may have.