I'm 62 and have had saline breast implants for 25 years. What can I expect in the future since I've read they last 10-25 years?

Question

Ive had no problems so far

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear Jeannie4767,
as long as you are happy with your breasts and don't have symptoms, you should not exchange them. If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Edwin C. Pound, III, MD · Answer

The longest I have seen saline implants last was 28 years.  Since you are approaching that mark, I would suspect that yours will not last much longer.  The nice thing about saline implants, though, is that you will know when one deflates as you will see a volume difference in your breasts within a few days.  You can either wait until they deflate to replace them or you can be pro-active and replace them before they deflate.  Either way, replacing them is a fairly easy procedure.

Nelson Castillo, MD · Answer

Thank you for sharing your excellent question.  Assuming you have not had any issues there is no reason to pursue any elective surgery at this time.  With each passing year the risk of implant hardening, or rupture, increases but you need not exchange them prophylactically unless for peace of mind.  Hope this helps.

George John Alexander, MD, FACS · Answer

It’s great news that you haven’t had any problems with your breast implants for over 25 years.  Breast implants are not lifetime devices and they will “wear out” eventually. When this happens with saline implants, one or both will deflate, the saline is absorbed by your body and you are left with a deflated breast or “flat tire”. There generally isn’t a health risk to this happening but will require another surgery to either remove or replace your implants. Many women like you choose to be proactive and exchange or remove their implants when they are still at their healthiest and before the deflation happens. I would advise starting the conversation now with a board certified plastic surgeon with many years of experience with this surgery to find out your options and the pros and cons of when to have your surgery. Having information that is personalized for you, will help you make the best decision.

Fara Movagharnia, DO, FACOS · Answer

Thanks for the question.  In my opinion, I would not be in a rush to exchange them.  If you are not experiencing any problems, then there is nothing to fix.  Best wishes.

John Dean, MD · Answer

If isn't broken, don't fix it.  That old saying applies to you, in this situation.  I have been in practice for 28 years and placed saline implants from the first days of my practice. The vast majority of those patients have not had problems with their implants that have required replacement or removal.  The advantage of saline implants is that if you have a problem with them, you will know right away.  Gel implants, however, can have a slow leak and slow scar tightening around the implant, that may take longer to diagnose.

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

Thank you for the question. It is difficult to give you definitive advice based on the information provided; nothing will replace in-person evaluation when it comes to doing so. Some thoughts may be helpful to you however.
Generally speaking, breast implants do not need to be exchanged every 10 years;  if the implants are in "good shape" and patients are pleased, there is no "standard exchange time".   In other words, I would not suggest that you undergo revisionary breast surgery solely based on the fact that the breast implants are "25 years old".
  Having said above, I think that you will benefit from in person consultation with board-certified plastic surgeons in your area. The consultation process will allow you to  obtain more specific information,  including the pros/cons of additional surgery now versus at a more senior age.
Best wishes.

I'm 62 and have had saline breast implants for 25 years. What can I expect in the future since I've read they last 10-25 years?

Answers (7)

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