How Long Does Breast Surgery Last?

Breast surgery generally lasts around an hour to two hours depending on the surgical techniques applied.  

If you are referring to the time the actual surgery will take, that can vary with the surgeon, usually about an hour and a half. But if you are wondering how long the surgery results will last, that can vary greatly from patient to patient. The implant manufacturers have a lifelong warranty on their implants and a ten year warranty on help with reimbursement for surgery costs if re-augmentation should be necessary. I tell patients they should plan on having  a redo at some point in their life.

Breast augmentation surgery with breast implants generally takes about 1 - 1 1/2 hours.  More complicated cases or those requiring a simultaneous breast lift will take longer.

Breast augmentation surgery can be performed on an outpatient basis (meaning you go home the same day after surgery) under general anesthesia or under local anesthesia with nerve blocks and monitored anesthesia care.

The most important thing, however, is to have your surgery performed by a plastic surgeon that is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery in an accredited ambulatory surgery center or hospital.

Jaime Perez, M.D.

Breast Implant Specialist in Tampa, Florida

Plastic Surgery Center of Tampa, Florida

Most surgeons typically take about one hour to an hours and a half to do a breast augmentation procedure.  The most important part is making sure that your surgeon achieves the best result for you regardless of the time.  Good luck!

Most breast augmentations take about an hour to perform.  Some surgeons may take a bit longer or may be a bit faster.  Do not worry too much about the duration of the surgery; what's important is that your surgeon is meticulous with the technique and you'll have a great result.

Best wishes,

Dr.Bruno

This depends on the kind of surgery performed.  What needs to be understood is that we are all aging and there is a natural aging process to the breasts where they can gain or lose volume as the patients gain or lose weight and become more droopy for that reason.   In addition, pregnancy and breastfeeding will stretch out the breast skin and will increase the degree and likelihood of drooping or sagging.  The medical term for sagging is called ptosis. 



The longevity will depend on the type of surgery being performed.  In general, surgery without implants has a long life-span; most patients will get 15 to 20 years before they start to see dramatic aging, although there is always a little relaxation six to twelve months after initial breast reduction or breast lift surgery. 







With regard to breast implant surgery, the implants themselves, of course, generally do not change in position over time, barring the incidence of capsular contracture.  So, the position of the implants generally remains the same.  They do need to be replaced usually in the 15 to 20 year range.  However, the overlying breasts are subject to aging as I described earlier and eventually may droop off the implants and require revision by doing a breast lift.  

If you are asking "how long with your implants last," there are a multitude of factors that go in to that answer.  The implant itself may outlive you.  Smooth implants have a failure rate of about 0.5% per year -- so for a 40yo getting a smooth implant, she would have a 20% chance by the age of 80 of having a rupture.  How long will your breast shape last? -- that's the tougher question.  It depends on your age, your skin, your size, weight variations, existing breast size -- way too many factors to predict without knowing you.  Ask your surgeon -- they will be able to provide more insight for you.  Good luck!