Aging Breast Implants and When to Replace Them

Breast implants do not have an expiration date, although they are not guaranteed to last a lifetime in your body. The average saline implant or silicone implant may last from 10 to 20 years. However, up to 20 percent of patients have these medical devices replaced or removed within 8 to 10 years due to complications or cosmetic concerns.

Is it time to replace your breast implants in Scottsdale, AZ? Keep reading to find out which symptoms to watch for, how to examine your 10-year-old implants and more.

5 Signs You Need a Breast Implant Replacement

The risks and complications below may necessitate breast implant removal.

1. Hardening

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, capsular contracture (hardened scar tissue surrounding one or both implants) is a complication that affects up to 30 percent of individuals who have augmentation or reconstruction. This hardening sensation can also cause tightness, tenderness, pain, and irregular cosmetic changes to the breast.

2. Saline Rupture (Leakage and Deflation)

If a saline breast implant ruptures (breaks) because of a tear or hole in its shell, the implant will begin to deflate. The saline in your implant will leak out and become safely reabsorbed by your body. The latter phenomenon can occur all at once or slowly within a few days. The affected breast will lose volume and look drastically different from the other breast. In hindsight, implant ruptures are rare during the first few years following plastic surgery, although the risk may increase over time.

3. Silicone Rupture (Silent Rupture)

Likewise, silicone implants can rupture. Silicone gel is much thicker than saline; therefore, when a silicone implant breaks, the gel usually stays inside the implant or enveloping scar tissue. As a result, a ruptured silicone implant often goes unnoticed, thus the term “silent rupture.”

Most breast augmentation patients do not experience any signs or symptoms. When symptoms arise, they can include:

• Decreased breast size
• Uneven breasts
• Small lumps or hard knots
• Pain or tenderness
• A tingling feeling
• Swelling
• Numbness
• Changes in sensation

Researchers from a 2017 study estimate that the occurrence rate of silicone rupture is somewhere between 2 and 12 percent. Some breast implants rupture immediately, some after many years, and others after a decade or more.

4. Implant Rippling and Palpability

Rippling describes a breast implant that develops wrinkles, whereas palpability refers to the ability to feel these wrinkles and ridges when you touch the affected breast. If you notice any wrinkling in your implant, you may want to replace or remove it.

Guerra Plastic Surgery Center encourages you to read FDA Public Advisory Committee Findings About Breast Implants for more information regarding the safety of these medical devices.

5. Changes in Shape and Position Due to Aging

Breast implants from a board-certified plastic surgeon in Scottsdale, AZ help maintain the appearance of youthful, beautiful breasts. Nonetheless, it is important to understand that implants do not prevent breast sagging as you age. Gravity can still take its toll, and rapid weight fluctuations can cause the breasts to stretch and sag. Over time, you may also notice that one breast droops lower than the other, or that your nipples point downward.

If these changes bother you, undergoing a breast lift or implant replacement may restore your breasts’ perkier appearance.

How to Examine Your Aging Breast Implants

Many long-term clients ask Dr. Aldo Guerra how they should care for their aging breast implants and how to gauge whether it’s time for a replacement. Here are three takeaways if you have implants, whether they are new or over a decade old:

• Self-breast exam. Regardless of your implant status, you should be doing a monthly self-breast exam to assess the condition of your breasts and implants. Specifically, you should be aware of the signs and symptoms we have mentioned above, including hardening implants, any changes in shape or position, and implants that are becoming increasingly uncomfortable. All of these could be signaling capsular contracture.
• Clinical breast imaging. You should undergo an annual mammogram starting at age 40, although you may need to have your first mammogram earlier if you have a family history of breast cancer. In addition, all women with silicone implants should get a breast MRI every five years to detect a ruptured implant. The American Cancer Society, however, recommends that women whose lifetime risk of breast cancer is greater than 20 percent should have a breast MRI and mammogram each year.
• Follow-up with your plastic surgeon. The most important advice you should follow to ensure the tip-top condition of your breast implants is to see your plastic surgeon on a regular basis. A skilled and experienced surgeon can detect problems with saline or silicone implants, even a rupture, through a physical exam. Furthermore, you may learn about new implant technologies during your visit. For example, patients who had breast implants over 10 years ago are likely to have 4th generation implants. The revolutionary 5th generation implants, also known as gummy bear breast implants, consist of cohesive silicone that delivers natural-looking augmentation results, lower rupture rates, and decreased instances of capsular contracture. Click here to know more about the latest advancements in breast augmentation.

So, Should You Replace Your Breast Implants Every 10 Years?

In 2011, the Food and Drug Administration released a report on the safety of breast implants. Instead of reading the 63-page report, here is the bottom line according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. “After 10 years of initial breast augmentation, 1 out of 5 patients need some sort of revision procedure. That means 20 percent of patients need another operation due to excess scarring inside the breast (capsular contracture), broken implant, etc. That also means that 80 percent of the patients are doing fine at 10 years.”

In conclusion, if you are having issues with your aging breast implants, you may need to replace them. But with proper monitoring and routine visits to your plastic surgeon, you do not need to replace your 10-year-old breast implants right away. Just remember that these medical devices are not guaranteed to last forever and may need a replacement within the 10- to 20-year mark.

Contact us today if you wish to rejuvenate your breasts and restore their youthful appearance. Dr. Guerra looks forward to discussing your options with you.