What Are the Chances of Follow Up Surgeries After Breast Implants?

I'm not happy with the size of my breasts, but terrified of surgeries. My concern is that I will have to have follow up surgeries every 5-10 years... complications... risks.... I'm 32 and have 2 children. Very tempted but scared.

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10 Doctor Answers | Asked by Katushka

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What Are the Chances of Follow Up Surgeries After Breast Implants?

I am looking at the Allergan A95 study that the manufacturers did following the implant "scare"in the 1990's, and recall that both manufacturers had similar data. The 7 year re-operation rate in the study was 30%. Some of these were for what I would call complications, but others were size change, switch to silicone, breast lift done later for changes that occurred later, and other causes. As I look over the data, probably slightly over half of the operations were for complications, the rest... more

Ok to be "a bit" "scared"

Dear Katushka. Just like any operation, there can be both short and long term complications and sequelae involved in breast augmentation. The most common short term complication is bleeding, also known as a hematoma. Long term complications can include breast implant leak, capsular contracture (scar tissue around the implant), and implant malposition. If you still have any reservations after consulting with a reputable board certified plastic surgeon,... more

Will I Need Future Surgeries After Breast Augmentation?

Statistics show that most patients who undergo a Breast Augmentation procedure will have another surgery in their lifetime. Like any man made device, breast implants are not guaranteed to last a lifetime and may, conservatively, have a lifespan of anywhere around 10-20 years. If everything is going well, you are happy with your size and you are having no problems with your implants, I advise my patients to start considering another surgery at around the 10 year mark. You... more

More surgeries after breast implants?

Breast implants are man-made devices. And like many man-made devices, they most likely will not last you your entire lifetime (think about your car, your cell phone, etc). There is no good way to predict how long an implant will last and who will require more surgeries related to those implants. Some women may need surgery for implant-related problems like implant rupture, infection, or capsular contracture; others may need surgery because they want to be a different size... more

Will I Need Operations in the Future if I Have Breast Implants?

Dear Katushka, Breast implants can last a lifetime, but you should be prepared to potentially need revision operations in the future. Haematoma and infection could require reoperation in the short-term, while in the longer term, probably the most common reason for revision surgery is problems with the implant such as rupture and capsular contracture. Rupture is not particularly common but capsular contracture may occur. Capsular contracture is when the implant becomes... more

Breast augmentation and further surgery

The average patient will need at least one more operation in their lifetime. That is according to the statistics. However, some may never have further surgery, and siome may need more than one. It is difficult to predict.

Steven Wallach, MD

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Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Followup Surgeries after Breast Implants

Breast augmentation does not by necessity warrant continued operations every 5 years. However, implants can rupture, and women can get capsular contracture. Some women may want a lift later. All of these things may account for additional operations, and you should be aware of these. Please find the board certified plastic surgeon with elite credentials for consultation.

Follow Up Surgeries After Breast Implants

Thank you for the question. It is not necessary to have surgery every 5-10 years. As with any surgical procedure there are risks associated with each intervention. However as long as you are doing well and there are no problems with your breasts or your breast implants no surgery would be indicated. I suggest you consult with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon as they will be able to sit down one on one with you and address any question or concerns you may have. Best wishes. more

What Are the Chances of Follow Up Surgeries After Breast Implants?

Many thanks for the question.It has been very well answered already but i think your intention is how frequently one needs to do seconday correction since first surgery did not yield wanted results.If this is the intention of you quesion that revision surgery rate varies form surgeon to surgeon.I can mention mine that its about 3%.Wish you all the best.

Follow-Up Surgeries after Breast Implants

I understand your concern with the statistics regarding follow-up surgery required following breast augmentation. However, the rate of additional surgery following breast augmentation can vary greatly depending upon the age of the patient, the type of implant and the expertise of the plastic surgeon. The rate of re-operation for silicone implants is reported to be over 15%. This includes women who develop capsular contracture, ruptures to the implant, and subsequent... more