Breast augmentation is one of the most commonly performed cosmetic procedures at Aesthetic Surgical Images. Patients seeking this procedure often worry about the need to replace implants because of aging. There is a commonly held belief amongst patients that implants should be exchanged every 10 years. This myth probably has its origin with the implant manufacturers’ 10-year warranty. Implants do not have an expiration date.
In many cases, breast implants can be expected to last the patient’s entire lifetime. There are, however, several times when replacement is indicated. Obviously if implant deflation occurs, replacement will be necessary. This is accomplished by re-opening the incision and replacing the deflated implant. Recovery is quick since the implant pocket has already been developed.
Implants may also need to be exchanged when patients want to have larger breasts. After a period of time, many patients adjust to their implant size and want to become larger; once again, exchange is easily accomplished.
A third scenario arises when patients have had implants in place for several years and experience a secondary complication such as breast hardening from capsular contracture. When this occurs surgery is necessary to address the breast hardening. Since surgery is already being performed it’s recommended that the older implants be replaced with newer ones.
Although, in many cases, implants may last the entire life expectancy of a patient they are not considered permanently implantable devices. Implants may last a lifetime or require replacement at any time because of deflation. It’s important for a patient considering breast augmentation to have a thorough understanding of this issue.
