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Length of Time Breast Implants Last?

I have had implants since 1984 and have not had any problems. Should I be concerned because of the length of time?

Asked 40 months ago by lovetoteach in Las Vegas, Nevada

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duration last longevity

There is no uniform expiration date for breast implants

The short answer to your question is no. While we all counsel women interested in breast augmentation that there is a possibility that they would need them exchanged at some point in their lives, there are certainly women who do not ever need them replaced. If you have no cosmetic issues with the implants, if you have no pain or any other complaints, I would leave them be. The one exception is if they are silicone implants. If they are, you may have what is called a "silent leak". What... more

Shahram Salemy, MD

Seattle Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Longevity of Breast Implants

All implants have a life span of about 10-15 years. Over time, breast implants can do one of three things, 1. implants can get hard, 2. it can break down and may have some granulome reactions if they are silicone gels, or 3. they can remain natural. In general, as implants age they tend to break down or get harder. The prudent rule is at 10 years one should get both an ultrasound or mammogram together or a breast MRI to rule out breast implant ruptures. If you have any symptoms such as... more

Rod J. Rohrich, MD

Dallas Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Do not replace saline implants if there are no problems!!

No one knows how long saline breast implants last. We do know that they are man made devices and are not expected to last a lifetime. It is "urban myth" and "street legend" that perfectly good implants should be replaced every 10 years. You should only replace saline implants when there is a problem; such as deflation, wrinkling, or capsular contractures. Since the original silicone implant moratorium in 1992, we have maintained very careful follow up of our... more

Richard L. Dolsky, MD

Philadelphia Plastic Surgeon

How long do breast implants last

You only need to change your implants if you have a problem. You can go indefinitely with your breast implants. Most patients will have a second surgery because they want to change the size, or change to silicone, or experience a complication (such as a rupture or capsular contracture). The deflation rate of a saline implant at ten years is about 10%. The deflation/rupture rate of a silicone implant at seven years is about 3-4%. You can be fortunate and go 20 or 30 years... more

William Bruno, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Breast Implants

I hear this question all the time....and I guess I am a dissenting opinion from the previous threads. Breast implants do not "last a lifetime". They are an implanted medical device, similar to a prosthetic knee replacement or a heart valve. Although they do not have the intricate moving parts that these prostheses do, their "shells" do experience fold flaw from continuous bending back and forth over the years. This is similar to a paper-clip breaking when it is bent... more

John Philip Connors III, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

How Long Do Implants Last?

Implants don't have an expiration date! If you are not having problems, you need replace your implants. Most plastic surgeons no longer recommend routine replacement of silicone gel-filled implants. For many years, we recommended consideration of replacement of silicone gel implants every 10 years. This guideline was based on reoperation for all reasons including capsule contracture, size change, lumps, bumps, etc. If you wish to verify the integrity of your implants,... more

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Paul C. Zwiebel, MD

Denver Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Implant longevity

With many of the original formulations of the implant shells (which are silicone regardless of whether you have silicone implants or saline implants) the quoted amount of time was an average of 10-15 years. This number was based on reoperation rates and it is important to remember that these re-operation rates included all reasons. Indications for reoperation for patients with breast implants include: 1. capsular contracture or scar tissue forming around the breast 2. undesireable... more

Steven H. Williams, MD

San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

No immediate concern, but time for f/u with a plastic surgeon

There is probably no reason for concern. Breast implants do not need to be repalced at a certain time. They may last 10 or 30 years. As long as you are happy with the shape and softness you can wait. Having said that, and knowing that they have been in for almost 25 years, I would meet with your origianl surgeon if he/she are in your location or start to meet and find a surgeon you would be comforatble with. The odds are over the next few years the device will fail. Most commonly device... more

John E. Gross, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

If they aren't broken, don't replace them.

I have seen a patient with 34 year old saline implants. If she had followed the "urban myth" that they need to be exchanged every 10 years she would have had 4 sets by now but only needed the first ones. If you are happy with the look, size, and feel of your implants and if they are intact, leave them alone. With saline you know obviously if they are intact. With silicone gel, mammograms, ultrasounds, and MRIs can determine the status.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

No News Is Good News?

For many patients, breast implants provide years of trouble-free satisfaction. It is not unusual to find patients who have had their breast implants for ten, fifteen, or even twenty or more years, with no apparent problems. However, breast implants are mechanical devices which cannot be expected to last forever. Most manufacturers now warranty the implants for ten years, although this does not imply that implants will wear out sometime thereafter. In some cases, in spite of everything... more

Athleo Louis Cambre, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

If it's not leaking, leave it alone

Most plastic surgeons believe that if an older breast implant is not causing a specific problem or is not known to be leaking, it should be left alone. If you are happy with the breast appearance the implants are likely perfectly good. You need to have your routine mammograms that you have hopefully been getting. Unfortunately these xrays often do not show leaking silicone implants. An MRI could show leaking implants not seen on mammogram. If you are having any issue at all with change in... more

Evan Sorokin, MD

Cherry Hill Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

1984 was a good year

To think, it was futuristic to George Orwell and now 1984 is 24 years behind us. Breast implants can, and sometimes do, last that long. I council my patients that all implants have a life expectancy, which on average is between 10 and 15 years. This is only an average, so some implants will last 25 years or more and some only 5 years. The length of time that you have had your implants, in and of itself, is not a great concern, as long as, you have had regular follow up with a board... more

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Kenneth R. Francis, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

How long do implants last

Breast implants can last a long time... a lifetime. That being said, the longer an implant has been in place, the more likely the risks of deflation (saline) or rupture (silicone). If your implants are saline and you are otherwise happy with them, you should have no concern. If your implants are silicone and now 26 years old, there is very likely a rupture of the implant. If there are any changes with the position or feel of the implants I would recommend either rep more

York Jay Yates, MD

Salt Lake City Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

How long do breast implants last? If it ain't broke - don't fix it

This is a very common question. If you are happy with the appearance and feel of your implants, there is no need to have prophylactic implant exchange surgery. Please remember to continue with your monthly breast self exams and annual mammograms for breast cancer screening. On occasion, a patient is happy with their implants and radiologic imaging finds evidence of a rupture - this is what we would call a "silent rupture". In this case, if... more

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C. Bob Basu, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Your Plastic Surgeon is not like Jiffy-Lube.

In other words, you don’t have to replace your implants every 3,000 miles. We get this question a lot because many people are under the mistaken impression that breast implants need to be replaced every five years, seven years, ten years etc. This is not true. Basically, if you are not having any problems with your implants, there is no need to replace them. In case you’re wondering, the most common reason implants are replaced is when a woman wants to change her size... more

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David B. Reath, MD

Knoxville Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Routine exchange of implants

There is no such thing as a "routine exchange of implants" - the only reason to exchange implants as an isolated procedure is if you are having some problem with them. If your breasts look good and feel soft, do not exchange your implants just because some length of time has passed. If you look at all published studies, complication rates for secondary breast surgeries are higher than for any primary, so it is not wise to take unnecessary risks. If your... more

Michael A. Bogdan, MD

Dallas Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Breast implant duration

I always tell my patients they should expect to change our their implants every 10-15 years. However, the only reason to do so is they are having problems with their implants, such as a rupture or capsilur contracture, or if they desire a larger cup size. If you are not experiencing any problems then there is no reason to have them exchanged. Best wishes, Neil J Zemmel, MD

Neil J. Zemmel, MD

Richmond Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

When to replace a breast implant?

The average lifespan of implants is 10 years, after which the chances of having to replace the them due to complications increase. If you are not experiencing any problems, it is not necessary to replace them.

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Usha Rajagopal, MD

San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS

Implant life span...

In my opinion if your not having any problems with your implants your shouldn't worry. There are myths out there that say you need to replace them after 10 years or so, but there is no set in stone date of when you need to replace them unless you are having an issue.

Doctor's Website

Jaime Perez MD

Tampa Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Breast implant life

If you are not having problems with your breast implants such as pain or changing shape, then you should not be overly concerned. Implant manufactures generally feel implants should last around 10 years. After that, it is difficult to know. If you have saline implants, then you will know if there is a rupture and there is no rush to replace them if they are doing fine currently. If you have silicone implants, it is possible that you could have a "silent"... more

Naveen Setty, MD

Plano Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Breast implants can last a long time.

Breast implants can last a very long time -- I have seen patients with implants almost 30 years old that are still supple and beautiful. How long implants last is dependent upon several factors 1) the scar tissue around the implant (called the capsule). If it becomes hard or firm then revision can help solve this problem. The time for this can be as early as 3-4 years or as long as 30. 2) the integrity of the implant its self (if it has ruptured or not). Saline... more

Richard H. Fryer, MD

Salt Lake City Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Implants usually last between 10 and 12 years...but...

Breast implants usually last between 10 and 12 years...at least that is what the manufacturers recommend. However, I have had many patients with implants in for longer without any problems. If your implants are saline, and they are not causing you any problems, you are probably safe to leave them alone. If your implants are silicone, then you would best be served by having them evaluated radiographically (with an MRI scan).

Kevin Brenner, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Breast implant lifespan

Breast implants (either saline or silicone) are not lifetime devices. Over time, the constant folding and movement of the implants can cause small holes in the shell of the implant. In saline devices, this leads to a slow leakage of the saline which becomes absorbed by the body. This results in obvious deflation of the implant. In a silicone gel implant, it depends a lot more on the make of the implant. Older implants tended to have more liquid silicone and thinner shells leading to... more

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David Bogue, MD

Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

Duration of breast implants

I, too, have had patients with implants that have lasted 25 plus years. Most surgeons believe that if your implants are greater than 15 or 20 years of age you should consider replacing them—although it is unlikely that even if they rupture and or leak that you'll have any serious problem. It would be best for you to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon in your area to get his or her recommendations.

Deason Dunagan, MD

Huntsville Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Checking for rupture of breast implants and silicone breast augmentation

Most likely, you have silicone breast implants that have a finite life span. The current thinking on breast implants is that they should undergo schedule checks in order to detail and document signs of rupture, capsular contracture, and leakage. Check with a board certified plastic surgeon in your area.