If you’re considering breast augmentation, you likely have many questions. How often do breast implants need to be replaced? How many CC’s should I get? Do I need to have surgery every few years? What will my implants look like when I’m older? How soon can I get back to work? These are common questions, but, unfortunately, myths and false answers abound, especially in the digital age.
The truth is that every person is different, and there’s no concrete time period in regard to how long your implants will last. Many women find that their implants last a lifetime, and others have them replaced every seven to 10 years. Statistically speaking, about 20% of women who get breast implants have them removed or replaced within eight to 10 years, but this figure includes medically necessary removals and replacements as well as those that women choose to do but aren’t medically necessary.
From Personique® in Austin, Texas, here are a few factors to consider when determining how often your breast implants will need to be replaced.
The Type of Implant You Receive
Your choice between saline and silicon may have an impact on how long they last. Though it’s rare, both types of breast implants could rupture and leak. It is estimated that between 2-12% of breast implants rupture, but a saline breast implant that ruptures due to a tear or hole will begin to deflate like a balloon. Although this won’t cause you any physical harm, it will dramatically change the shape and symmetry of your breasts. Silicone gel is much thicker than saline, and though it can rupture too, it won’t be as noticeable. Both saline and silicone implants require replacement in the event of a rupture.
Saline implants tend to have a stiffer feeling in general and therefore an increased tendency to ripple or wrinkle, both of which can show through the skin after time. Silicone implants typically have a less spherical shape and so come with a lower chance of creating ripples or wrinkles on the skin. Though rippling and wrinkling don’t require replacement, many women with saline implants opt to have them replaced when this occurs over time.
Your Body and Age
It’s important to remember that breast implants aren’t immune to the effects of gravity. Over time, your breast implants will naturally begin to sag with age and as gravity takes its toll. This is a reason many women opt for a replacement or a lift after seven to 10 years—not out of necessity but out of choice. Changes in your weight can also affect the placement of your breast implants over time.
Breast implants aren’t guaranteed to last a lifetime, but they do last that long for many women. Many factors—such as the type of implant you receive, your age, your personal preferences, and your skin’s natural elasticity—play a part in determining how long your implants will last.
Considering Breast Augmentation?
Contact the team at Personique® if you’re considering breast augmentation. Many factors help achieve natural-looking breast augmentation results, such as shape, position, implant size, material, and incision placement. Choose Personique® in Austin, Texas for an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon for breast augmentation.