Breast Augmentation: Q&A

Ask a Question

How Often Do You Have to Get Your Breasts "Refreshed"?

I've heard that after my initial breast augmentation surgery, I have to come back a certain amount of years after (6-7 yrs) to the operating room to get my implants refreshed (take the old ones out and put new ones in). Is this true?

Tags:

long-term revision

Comment on this

17 Doctor Answers | Asked by Ontario2173 in Ontario, CA

Doctor Answers (17)
Community Comments (0)

No it is not true that your implants "need refreshed" at 6-7 years

Whether or not you will need more surgery after breast implants is a controversial question, with answers all over the board. The information you received has no factual basis

Breast Implant Exchange

Breast Implants typically last much longer than 6-7 years. Unlike a car tire, implants do not have to be periodically exchanged, just evaluated by a board certified plastic surgeon. This evaluation will assess for rupture, capsular contracture, or assymetry. Unless indicated by your plastic surgeon, I would not recommend periodic exchange.

When do breast implants need replacing?

There are several opinions on this question. It is a matter of personal preference. Breast implants, like everything else, wear out. It is easy to detect a saline implant failure, as you get a "flat tire" effect within days to a few weeks. Silicone implant failures are termed "silent" because they usually must be detected via MRI, sometimes Ultrasound. Some Plastic Surgeons advocate replacing implants before their average lifespan passes (average lifespan of... more

Redo breast augmentation

There is no set time to consider redoing your breast augmentation unless there is a problem with the ones you have already.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Replacing breast implants

There is no finite period of time for the implants to be replaced. Just keep in mind that despite having implants, all breasts will normally sag with time, thus requiring corrective surgery.

Breast augmentation -getting it right the first time

No that is not true. All breast augmentation will have to undergo more surgery at some point but that is no predictable. It could be 2, 10 or 20 years or some other number of years. In the absence of deflation or capsular contracture there is no need to go in and replace breast implants no matter how long they have been there. You want to choose your initial surgeon and the specific type of augmentation that will maximize the number of years between breast operations.

Implants do NOT need changing or refreshing every 10 years

There is no reason to "refresh" or change your breast implants unless there is a problem with them such as capsular contraction, infection or leak / deflation. I tell all my augmentation patients that implants are man made devices and as such they may not last their lifetimes. The present day implants have rates of deflation of 6 - 10% at 10 years and as the implants age the rate does increase slowly. You will know if your saline implants are leaking as the... more

Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD

18 reviews

Boston Plastic Surgeon

Breast implant typically last 10 or 15 years

Typically, I tell my patients that they will have another breast operation in 10 or 15 years. The reasons for re-operation are typically implant rupture, capsular contracture, or that the breasts have fallen. Implants can last longer than 10 or 15 years. In fact, in the past few months we have worked with several patients that had their original silicone breast augmentation procedure done in Michigan in the 1980's. Realistically, plan on another operation in... more

Removing breast implants routinely at 10 years

There are lots of rumors and repeated statements about replacing implants every 10 years but this had been promulgated with relatively little true scientific data. Reported saline/silicone rupture rates at 10 years varies from 6-10%. This means that if surgeons were to replace implants routinely at 10 years, anywhere from 90-94% of implants would still be intact. In the case of saline implants the consequences of delayed treatment are relatively few. In the case of silicone implants, it... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

32 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

The MYTH of every 10 year Breast Implant "Refreshment", "Change" or "Tune Up"

Regarding: "How Often Do You Have to Get Your Breasts "Refreshed"? I've heard that after my initial breast augmentation surgery, I have to come back a certain amount of years after (6-7 yrs) to the operating room to get my implants refreshed (take the old ones out and put new ones in). Is this true?" Periodic Breast Implant exchange is an urban myth. Like human beings and all man-made devices, breast implants do not last indefinitely. Their... more

Replacement of breast implants

Unless you have a problem, you never have to have your implants replaced. Patients should be prepared for the probability that at some time in their life they will have to have their augmentation redone. Now that the silicone implants are once again available, the FDA recommends that patients have an MRI every two to three years to be sure they do not have a "silent leak". If a saline implants leaks, you will know it as your chest will deflate. the saline is not... more

When do my Breast Implants Expire

Much of the myth of breast implants needing to be replaced at 10 years largely stems from the initial 10 year warranty of the implants regarding rupture or leak. Many people interpreted this to mean that at 10 years you need to have the implants replace. Fortunately, this isn't the case. Implants are now warrantied for life and the manufacturers will replace an implant free of charge if the implant fails. They also provide up to $1200 toward a replacement surgery... more

Need for routine breast implant replacement is a myth

I'm not certain who is promoting this unfortunate bit of misinformation- but unless you are having an issue with a breast implant (capsular contracture, malposition, leaking) there is no requirement, or even recommendation, to replace them. The latest generation of cohesive silicone gel implants are terrific - I think we'll have many patients that keep their current implants as 'lifetime' implants, especially when they are appropriately sized, submuscular, and placed with... more

New breast implants have low rate of leaking.

Hi. The latest statistics about Mentor silicone implants show a 2.4% incidence of leaking at 7 years. Of course, that number will go up as more years pass, but the risk seems low. If your implants remain intact, you do not need to replace them.

Change Implants Every 10 Years Just A MYTH

This is one of those great myths about breast augmentation and implants. You never have to change them if you are not having any issues with them. Certainly, the older the implants, the greater the chance that the shell may develop a tear, but the data at 10 years for a saline implant rupture is 7-9% and for a silcione implant rupture is 6%. Plenty of patients have their implants for twenty years without having any sort of problem. I hope this helps more

Breast implant exchange

We tell patients that implants last 7-10 years, as the shell begins to wear out around this time. However, if your implants are intact at 10, 20 or even 30 years, you don't need to do anything. You should keep in mind, however, that chances are the initial surgery will not be your last surgery. Best wishes, /nsn.

Breast Implants Do Not Need tobe "Refreshed"

The only reason for removing and replacing breast implants is if there is a problem (leak, etc.) requiring that they be removed. I have a partner who has been retired for nearly 20 years who has patients who have had breast implants for 35-40 years and have never had to have any additional surgery.