I have had breast implants for 14 years. How Long Do Breast Implants Last?

Most breast implants will last a lifetime. 

There is a common misconception that implants will only last 10 years. This is not true. If you have no problem with your implant then nothing needs to be done with them. The only reason you would change an implant is if there is a problem with them. The most common long term problem is implant rupture. The risk of a rupture is 1% a year. So the risk of having a broken implant at the end of 10 years is 10%. That means that 90 % of implants will be fine at 10 years. The other common misconception is that saline implants are more likely to rupture than gel. This is not true. The rupture rate is the same for saline and cohesive gel implants because the outer shell of both type of  implants are virtually the same .

So most women will live their whole lives with their original implants and will never require additional surgery.

This is acommon question as I often have patients come into the office because they havehad their breast implants for over ten years and want to change them. I always discuss with patients what theactual reason is for changing the implants. If the only reason is because the implants are over ten years, but theyoverall still love their breasts I would tell them to keep them. I would not change them just because you havereached a certain year mark.

However ifpatients have other concerns about their breasts (they have fallen because ofkids, etc) then we should change the implants. I would not do surgery on a woman’s breast with implants over ten yearold and not change them if we are going to be in surgery already.

So the shortanswer is you do not have to change your implants because of certain year mark,but if you need a secondary surgery and your implants are over ten years old, Iwould advise changing them at the time of your surgery.

Please consultyou board certified plastic surgeon for further information.

Implants only need to be replaced if there is a problem.  The common reasons for implant replacement are deflation, tight scars (capsular contracture), implant malposition, or a desire to change the implant size.  You definitely need to find out why there is a change in the way your breast feels.

Thank you for your question. First of all, you should definitely see your surgeon to discuss the rash and sensation of air pockets.As for breast implant replacement. Breast implants that were placed 15-20 years ago are starting to need replacement. This can be from either deflation (saline implants) or from rupture (silicone). Capsular contracture is another cause for requiring replacement. The newer silicone implants, fifth generation, are considered "gummy bear" implants. These implants likely have a much longer longevity than older third and fourth generation implants. The implant manufacturers have also offered better warranties with these newer implants. Most breast implant manufacturers now offer a lifetime warranty. If the implant is returned as ruptured, they will cover the cost of new implants.I hope this helps.- Dr. Bryson Richards (Board Certified Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon)

Saline implants don't need to be replaced until the patient decides that she is no longer satisfied with the way they look or feel. If there is a major leak, it will be obvious and the implant can be replaced. If there is a very gradual leak, this doesn't matter until the look or feel of the implant changes enough to warrant a replacement surgery. Remember that it's only water that is leaking, so if you aren't unhappy with the implants, don't worry about slow, gradual leaks. Some saline implants have problems and need to be replaced within a year, while others may last for decades.Silicone implants are a little more difficult to assess. A silicone implant may leak without any change in the size or appearance of the breast, since the silicone is still there. Many physicians feel that silicone implants don't need to be changed until the look or feel is unsatisfactory. According to the FDA, which regulates implants as well as medications, an MRI of the breasts should be performed every other year starting in year 3. An MRI can determine whether silicone has leaked outside the shell of the implant. If there is leakage on the MRI, the implants can be replaced. As with saline implants, silicone implants can have problems within a year, or may last for decades. In your specific case, it would likely be reasonable to replace your implants. If you feel air pockets, pain, etc. a revision surgery could be helpful. There's no guarantee that replacing the implants will improve the pain or rash, but it's probably worthwhile to try at this point. A board-certified plastic surgeon can evaluate you in person and help you to devise a logical plan.

Most silicone and saline implants are FDA approved for 10 years. This means that you should get them replaced after 10 years. If you keep your implants longer, they can rupture, leak, deflate, and most importantly capsular contracture can occur. This means that scar tissue develops to surround the implants. Best wishes.

Most surgeons would recommend an exchange or extraction of breast implants after 10 to 15 years. However every patient is different and several conditions should be evaluated prior to making the decision to undergo a procedure.
Implants that show signs of capsular contracture (hard, round, painful) or rupture should be removed. A detailed evaluation by a plastic surgeon is important for making the right choice.

The companies that manufacture the breast implants usually have a 10-year warranty on the implants. This is one theory about where this misconception came from. But the fact is that if the implant procedure is done right, the implants can and do last much longer than that.
But there are definitely cases where the implants do need to be replaced. Here are 5 signs that you might need a breast revision.
You’re unhappy with the size – This is by far the most common reason for a breast revision. Capsular contracture – After breast augmentation, your body will form a protective scar “capsule” around the implant. Usually, the capsule is soft and gives the implant its natural, soft feel. However, in some cases, the scar capsule can harden, thicken, and start to contract on the implant. Changing shape – Silicone implants are incredibly durable so they will rarely change shape unless it’s from some kind of Saline implants, Moving – Another problem that some patients experience is the implants moving. This is called “migrating.” The implants won’t move far but it is often enough to be noticeably uneven.Rotating – While most implants are circular, there are some implants that are anatomically shaped–they typically look like a teardrop. These implants can sometimes rotate which will also make them look uneven.

Dear Realself user,The implants used today are different than those that were used 14 years ago.The ones that are used today are designed so that you do not need to replace them. I am afraid yours need to be replaced. Please make sure you see a doctor so you can be sure.Best of luck,
TAS Aesthetic Surgery Clinic

Thank you for your question. In general, I tell patients to expect about 10 years out of a pair of breast implants. They can certainly last a lot longer than this, even a lifetime, but most data points to having to replace implants at about 10 years on average. If there are no implant related problems, however (like rupture, contracture, desire for different size) there is no need to change an implant simply becuase 10 years have passed.

One of the common myths about
breast implants is that they need to changed every 10 years. This is definitely
NOT TRUE. As long as your implants/breasts continue to look and feel good,
nothing needs to change. So potentially they could last a lifetime. However, your body will continue to change over time
implants or not - time, gravity, weight fluctuations, pregnancy, breast
feeding, lifestyle, genetics etc.....things will change. So for these reasons,
you may wish to have further surgery at some later date. Also large breasted women, whether they are natural or
implants, gravity is far less kind to them than smaller breasted women. So it's
really important to always wear good supportive bras all the time, except for
those odd occasions that warrant no bra. You support them as much as possible,
and they'll look after you as long as possible. Yes, things such as rupture and capsular contracture can also occur and these may also warrant further surgery but these affect only a small percentage of women and are unpredictable.