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How Long Can Breast Implants Last?
Breast augmentation is the most popular plastic surgery procedure in the US, according to ASPS. That means that women across the country are scheduling their consultations to learn more about this procedure. When it comes to breast augmentation, there are many things to consider, including choosing the right implant for you, placement, and how to take care of your implants for long-lasting results. One of the most popular questions regarding implant care is, “How long do breast implants last?” Read on for the answer to this question, and more about breast implants.
Breast Implant Lifespan
Breast implants are not life-long devices, but are designed to be long-lasting. Saline and gel devices have individual rates of failure but average around 1% per year. This means in 20 years there is a 20% (1 in 5) chance of failure.
For saline devices it is easy to know when they fail, as they will deflate. Gel device failures are not as easy to detect with the naked eye, but can be determined with an MRI. The FDA recommends that women who choose silicone breast implants get an MRI three years after their initial surgery, and then every two years following to ensure a silent rupture has not occurred. This is only a recommendation and not a mandate. Patients can consider getting an MRI roughly 10 years after augmentation if they choose.
Women who choose to undergo breast augmentation with implants should be prepared to have regular annual checkups with their surgeon, as well as perform self-checks to ensure that their implants have not ruptured. If a rupture were to occur, it is important to tell your surgeon as soon as possible.
It is very important to understand that if breast implants have not deflated (saline) or ruptured (silicone gel), there is no need to remove and replace either kind of implant merely because a certain amount of time has passed since the augmentation surgery. At the same time, for young women considering breast augmentation, it’s reasonable to assume that they will, at some point, need to replace their implants.
During your breast augmentation consultation, be sure to ask any questions that you may have about breast implants and their upkeep. Dr. Fichadia, a double-board certified surgeon in Portland, would be happy to go over these questions, as well as help you decide which breast implants are right for you.
If you are located in the Portland area and are interested in breast augmentation surgery, contact our office today!
Dr. Fichadia is a double board-certified, comprehensively trained plastic and reconstructive surgeon. She completed general surgical training at St Elizabeth’s Medical Center, an affiliate of Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, MA, and subsequently completed a highly competitive plastic surgery program at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, OR. She has presented research from her time in Boston and Portland at national and international surgical meetings such as Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons and annual meeting of American Society of Plastic Surgery.
