Breast enlargement: do I need to change implants? Silicone myths Do you need to change breast implants?

When a woman decides to undergo breast augmentation and correction surgery, she is concerned about many issues related to implants. After all, they should become part of her body. One of the most common questions is whether implants need to be changed after.

Do I need to change implants after mammoplasty: warranty and durability...

As the experience of surgeons shows, many women feel great even with old models of implants that were installed about 30 years ago. However, at that time technology had not yet reached modern heights and could not guarantee the complete wear resistance of such products. Today, many manufacturers offer implants with a lifetime warranty. Such products do not require replacement at all due to wear. Therefore, when asked by patients whether it is necessary to change implants after mammoplasty, plastic surgeons can confidently answer “no”.

Do I need to change implants after mammoplasty: reasons for replacing implants...

However, there are exceptional reasons for which it is still necessary to install new implants. Such reasons include:

• The desire of the patient herself to again change the shape or size of the breast;
• Deterioration in breast shape as a result of strong changes in weight and body proportions due to age, hormonal fluctuations, etc. With age, the body of any person changes according to a program independent of him. Heredity and health status play a big role in this. Therefore, not all women manage to maintain the breast shape created by the surgeon in ideal condition throughout their lives. With repeated corrective plastic surgery, the doctor can perform a breast lift and replace old implants with new ones. In addition, the new implant will be selected taking into account the changed proportions of the figure, skin tone, etc.
• Damage to the implant. Modern products for breast enlargement are particularly durable, so damage to their integrity is usually possible only as a result of a puncture.
• Progressive development of a fibrous capsule around the implant. The problem is related to the reaction of body tissues to a foreign object, which is breast implants. In some people, such an individual reaction may be too strong and a hard capsule of fibrous tissue will form around the implant, which can even deform the breast. This complication is very rare, but if it occurs, the implant will have to be replaced.

In these cases, the answer to the question whether implants need to be changed after

Leading breast implant manufacturers offer a lifetime warranty on their products. Similar promises are made in plastic surgery clinics. But what is the situation like in reality? The average lifespan of breast implants is 10-15 years. This does not mean that during this time it can become thin and its contents leak out. In reality, this means only one thing - over time, inevitable changes in the figure and breast tissue occur. In particular, their omission may occur. Muscle and fat tissues also change. This is what leads to the need to replace the breast implant with a more suitable one. But this does not mean that the implant itself is worn out. In fact, the materials from which it is made are much less susceptible to change than the tissues of the human body. And if our body did not change, implants could last almost forever. Preconceptions about the durability of breast implants have a long history. The first silicone implants, which appeared in the 1960s, were indeed not very durable and did not guarantee against leakage. The situation was even worse with implants filled with saline solution. The leakage of saline solution was less of a problem than the leakage of silicone, but it happened more often. As for modern implants, they use a cohesive gel as a filler. It is characterized by extremely low fluidity and does not leak even if the implant is physically damaged. On the other hand, the shell of modern breast implants is such that it can withstand even extreme overloads, such as in a car accident. The only way to damage it is to pierce it.

However, from time to time scandals break out, such as with PIP breast implants, whose manufacturers, in order to save money, filled them not with medical, but with industrial silicone.

In addition, it turned out that they were leaking. However, such stories relate more to criminal law than to plastic surgery.

Compared to the last decade, the choice of modern and high-quality implants on the world market of manufacturers has now become much more diverse and richer. There is certainly a tendency that many plastic surgeons work with the products of one manufacturer, and there is nothing wrong with that. The choice is usually made based on the reliability and quality of the product, as well as the availability of a wide selection of products from the company.

Manufacturers of modern breast implants for breast surgery guarantee that their products do not cause neoplasms and do not in any way affect the ability of an infant to breastfeed. One could talk about the lifelong possibility of having an implant inside your body, but it is almost impossible to guarantee that your breasts will retain their shape in an unchanged state. For example, a woman may give birth, causing her breasts to become deformed.

No one can guarantee that in 5-15 years a woman’s figure will not undergo any changes. She may gain weight or lose weight, which will disrupt the proportionality of the once correctly selected implant. Therefore, the need for implant replacement and breast lift is common, so be prepared for it.

What else can cause the replacement of an old implant with a new one?

• The patient's desire to change the shape or size of the breast again
• Liquid leakage or casing rupture
• The desire to change the old implant to a more modern and “fashionable” one
• Inflammation in the area where the implant is located

The need to replace a breast implant with a modern type should also be taken into account.

However, plastic surgery is not aware of sufficiently compelling arguments indicating the absolute need to replace an implant within a certain period of time, if it is no longer modern. It only needs to be replaced if there is a defect in the shell or if it is damaged. Also, if there is inflammation in the area where the implant is placed, which cannot be treated with a conservative method.

The average lifespan of an implant can vary from 5 to 15 years depending on the type of implant. But in fact, implants are much more durable and less susceptible to age-related changes in the body than your own tissue.

An implant can only deteriorate if folds form on its shell. It is in the places where these folds form that the shell can wear out and fray. For this reason, implants made from highly cohesive helium are more durable as they do not wrinkle.

It is important to understand that with age, the weight of breast implants can cause breast tissue to stretch, requiring additional correction. Although many manufacturers give a so-called “lifetime guarantee,” this actually means the possibility of free replacement of the implant with a new one. True, the guarantee of the service life of implants does not apply to all cases.

Science is moving forward. There is no doubt that cosmetic surgery will make progress and new advanced types of breast implants will be created. And maybe soon breast implants will truly last forever.

Although breast implants are not considered lifelong devices, this does not mean that they cannot last for many years. There are women whose implants lasted 10, 20, 30 years and even more.

Implants can be filled with saline solution or silicone gel.

The shell of the saline and silicone implant is made of durable silicone. It has high durability and does not pose a threat to health.

Despite the fact that the shell of both types of implants is made of silicone and the fillers are different, saline implants are just as durable as silicone ones.

They differ in elasticity. Saline implants are more affordable and softer. Silicone implants are more elastic and hold their shape better.

Reasons for possible implant replacement or removal

Think of the implant shell as the skin on your face. You can determine a person's lifestyle by the wrinkles on his face. These wrinkles appear as a result of repeating the same actions over and over again.

For example, from laughing or squinting. The same can happen with implants.

When the shells interact with each other for a long time, regardless of the filler of the implant, “folds” are formed on it. The integrity of the shell may be damaged, which may ultimately lead to rupture.

Another reason why breast implants may be replaced is due to breast hardening. This is called capsular contracture.

This is when the collagen fibers inside the capsule that surrounds the breast implant harden, causing the breast to harden. When the level of capsular contracture has reached the need for surgery, the implant may be replaced with a new implant or sterilized and reimplanted in the breast.

How to extend the life of breast implants

The longer you have breast implants, the more likely it is that complications will occur over time. By distinguishing implants by type and content, you can more easily determine what to do to prevent possible complications.

Saline implants

Saline implants will last longer if they are filled with the solution as much as possible. Unfilled saline implants will form “wrinkles” and eventually rupture. Unfilled saline implants are more at risk than silicone implants.

The failure rate for saline implants in a recent study was 5.6%.

Of the 48 saline implants studied, 26 implants were not filled. However, overfilling the implant with solution can also lead to ruptures.

Silicone implants

Silicone implants have a huge advantage over saline ones in that the silicone gel is more solid and not liquid like a saline solution.

This means that if a silicone implant ruptures, the gel will remain intact and will most likely retain the shape of the implant. By being more stable in shape and having the ability to stay in shape even after rupture, silicone implants will have a longer lifespan.

What is the real shelf life of breast implants?

The implant can last 3 months or 50 years.

No one can guarantee his life expectancy. If you have a breast implant that ruptured or are experiencing complications, check the warranty on it. The cost may be minimal to you since the manufacturer will likely cover the cost of replacement.

Consultations / Aesthetic and plastic surgery / Breast implant lifespan

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Mammoplasty with breast augmentation is very popular these days. But despite the fact that operations have been performed for quite a long time, there is still a lot of unknowns. And one of the most common questions: do implants need to be changed? The answer depends on various circumstances that arise during the use of endoprostheses.

Fears that after mammoplasty you will have to replace implants more than once are mainly associated with the likelihood of them wearing out. This possibility really exists, although manufacturers claim that their products have a lifetime warranty. In fact, there are many possibilities for thinning and damage to the implant shell:

• exposure from the inside to saline solution, silicone or hydrogel;

• influence on the material of living tissues in contact with it;

• the formation of folds and kinks on the surface, which increases the likelihood of a decrease in the thickness of the endoprosthesis;

• defect in the manufacture of the product.

The first implants wore out at 5% per year. The longer their service life, the higher the risk of damage. Naturally, it is better not to wait until the endoprosthesis breaks down and the contents get into the breast tissue, but to replace it.

It is easy to understand that most of the reasons for the shortened shelf life of implants are related to their size. The larger it is, the higher the likelihood of rapid wear. And yet, among the reasons for their replacement, the latter is rarely recorded. After all, the service life of modern implants is up to 15 years. Some women do not change them for longer. But during this time, other factors come into play, forcing a repeat operation.

If, during regular examination, no damage to the endoprosthesis is noticed, the woman is satisfied with her appearance and well-being, and should talk to her doctor about the need for replacement. Perhaps it is not needed.

Reasons for replacement

Despite the reliability of the material from which the “new breasts” are made, repeated augmentation surgeries are not that uncommon. Whether it is necessary to change breast implants is determined not only by the possibility of disintegration of their shell and seepage of filler into living tissues. There are several groups of reasons for revision mammoplasty.

New models

Since breast implants were first introduced, they have improved significantly. New types of shells, forms and fillers have appeared. Replacing smooth implants with textured ones made it possible to avoid many complications during the engraftment process. The teardrop shape makes it possible to make the breasts more natural. The hydrogel filler minimizes harm due to possible leakage of the implant contents. And the possibility of placing new types of endoprostheses under muscle rather than glandular tissue makes the breasts indistinguishable from natural ones to the touch.

All this becomes the reason why women replace their existing implants. The more advanced the endoprosthesis model, the better not only the appearance of the breast, but also the higher the safety. Therefore, many women replaced, for example, saline implants with . Others prefer the latter to the former, considering them safer.

Changes in tastes

Whether it is necessary to change breast implants also depends on the purely aesthetic preferences of the breast owner, which may become different. After all, the canons of beauty are varied; lush breasts, which for many years seemed to be the standard, can become boring. Or a woman will want to change her image, into which an outstanding bust does not fit. And there is a chance to adjust the size if you install smaller implants.

But most often women strive to make their bust even larger. After the breast takes its final form, the swelling goes away, they feel that it is not appetizing enough. And after living with the new size for several years, the woman decides to have a new operation to replace the endoprostheses.

Age-related changes, including body size

How often to replace breast implants may also depend on the period of life in which they were installed. If a girl had mammoplasty at the age of 20 - 30, most likely she will become pregnant, give birth and breastfeed later. Natural processes occurring in the mammary glands lead to changes in their own tissues. Ligaments and skin reduce elasticity. The breasts sag along with the implants and no longer look as perfect as before.

The changes will be especially noticeable when the implant is of significant size, and if it was placed under the gland and not the pectoral muscle. But in the second case, unaesthetic changes are not excluded. The mammary glands may remain in the same place, and the tissues located above slide down. Then you have to do at least a tightening. But if the first operation was performed more than 5 years ago, it would be logical and useful to replace the implants.

Similar problems can arise when a woman's weight changes. Losing weight changes the overall proportions of the body, therefore, it can bring disharmony to the appearance. The breasts will not look as natural as they did at their previous weight. To restore the natural appearance, you have to do a new mammoplasty with implants of a more appropriate size.

Consequences of unsuccessful installation

Whether it is necessary to change implants after mammoplasty may also depend on how you feel. After the operation, complications are likely to arise that will not allow you to leave everything as it is. First of all, this is the formation of capsular contracture. The problem develops during the first year after surgery. A capsule of connective tissue is formed around the implant. It helps to hold the endoprosthesis; its appearance in this place is normal. But if the thickness of the capsule is too large, it prevents you from feeling normal. There is pain or at least discomfort in the chest. And externally the mammary glands do not look as we would like. This situation requires removal of the implants, and subsequently a new operation. Sometimes just replacing the endoprosthesis with another type will help solve the problem. The tissues will not react so sharply, and the capsule will form correctly, without excessive density and thickness, without causing discomfort.

How to choose the best breast implants? What types of breast implants are right for you? Read about the shelf life, the price of the operation and the best manufacturers in this article.

A perfect body is the dream of many women, which plastic surgery can make come true. Breast enlargement and breast augmentation are in particular demand, making it possible to create pleasant roundness where nature has spared them.

The greatest interest is in mammoplasty using silicone implants. But, despite the significant improvement in prostheses and, as a consequence, the results of the operation, women in some cases may need to restore breast contours and replace old implants with new ones. Most often, repeated surgery is required for:

• capsular contracture;
• infectious processes;
• displacement;
• implant ruptures;
• omission, etc.

Mammary fibrosis or capsular contracture

A frequent complication leading to the need for surgical correction after surgery is the separation of a foreign body by connective tissue formations. When the tissue becomes denser, it causes a woman to feel discomfort and pressure; it is also possible to change the shape of the breast and develop asymmetry of the mammary glands.

The complication occurs in the first year after surgery and rarely occurs thereafter. When a small lump forms, the fibrous tissue is excised to release the implant and restore the natural contours of the bust. If the compaction is pronounced and the woman experiences severe discomfort, the fibrous capsule is completely removed, the old implant is removed and a new one is installed.

The main method of preventing mammary fibrosis is the strict implementation of all the surgeon’s recommendations during the rehabilitation period. If a lump is detected and pain appears, you should immediately consult a doctor to prevent further complications.

Prosthesis rupture and gel leakage

Modern technologies for manufacturing silicone inserts have minimized the risk of damage to the implant and leakage of contents. But under severe mechanical stress (for example, a knife wound), it is almost impossible to avoid gel leakage.

If you suspect a rupture of the prosthesis, you should immediately contact a surgeon to remove and replace the silicone insert. Signs of damage include pain and changes in the shape of the mammary glands.

Other reasons for replacing implants

Other complications leading to the need for repeat breast surgery include:

• development of an inflammatory or infectious process that occurs within a month after mammoplasty;
• duration of surgical intervention with the installation of fragile, heavy types of prostheses;
• physiological changes in the body (loss of skin elasticity during the aging process, leading to sagging, loss of attractive appearance of the breasts);
• significant changes in weight;
• loss of shape, volume, appearance of pronounced asymmetry after pregnancy or completion of breastfeeding.

In each of these cases, it is possible to restore the beautiful contours of the bust by performing surgical correction with removal and replacement of old implants.

When should breast surgery not be performed?

In some cases, surgical intervention can pose a risk to a woman's health. The operation is prohibited in the following cases:

• oncological neoplasm in the breast. After complete cure of the disease, it is possible to restore the normal appearance of the mammary glands with silicone implants;
• pregnancy. The stress on a woman’s body during mammoplasty can pose a threat to the child’s health;
• lactation. Correcting the shape of the mammary glands during this period not only harms the woman’s health, but also leads to distorted results after the end of the lactation period;
• exacerbation of a chronic disease, immunodeficiency conditions that increase the risk of complications.

If there are contraindications, you can turn to changes in body contours.

Recovery after mammoplasty

After any surgical intervention, the body needs time to recover. After the first breast augmentation surgery, rehabilitation takes a long period, requiring constant monitoring by the attending physician.

Removing and replacing old silicone inserts with new ones is less painful, but also requires strict adherence to medical instructions during the recovery period. When placing the implant into the formed bed, only short-term swelling and small hematomas occur. But when changing the location of the prosthesis, the body needs more time to adapt.

Now I would like to draw your attention, dear readers, to a very important question that 90% of my patients ask me during breast augmentation consultations: “Will it be necessary to change the implants over time?”

In fact, the question is quite clear: patients “invest” in themselves, in their appearance, and the duration of such investments is especially important. Accordingly, moving on to the topic, here is what you should definitely know:

Aging of implants:

Implants produced 10-20 years ago, according to manufacturers, had a wear rate of up to 5-7% per year, and if at the initial stage this was quite a bit, then over time the risk of their destruction or rupture increased significantly. Modern implants, which my surgeon colleagues and I now use in our practice, have a significantly lower wear rate, which has allowed implant manufacturers from the world's leading companies to give them a lifetime warranty.

But, despite the fact that modern implants practically do not wear out, there are statistics that some patients who have undergone breast augmentation, after some time, turn to the surgeon again with a request to replace the implant. But what are the reasons for this? Now I will describe some facts:

Sometimes patients request implant replacement solely for aesthetic reasons, as they want to change their size or shape. If these are not the first months after the operation, when the swelling has not gone down or the implants have not yet descended, have not “fallen” into place, then an experienced surgeon, of course, will immediately refuse the operation, since the breast has not yet taken its final shape and what to do - conclusions very early (rehabilitation after breast augmentation). Also, do not forget about age-related changes... This factor makes women think about reimplantation. These changes occur due to age factors, breastfeeding, excess weight gain or, conversely, weight loss. As a result of this, of course, the volume of the soft tissue of the breast changes, and the skin loses its elasticity, the ligaments weaken and stretch. All this leads to sagging breasts. All these are natural processes and they do not depend on whether an implant is installed or not. But, if the implant was installed under the gland and not under the muscle and it is large, its weight can accelerate unwanted breast changes.

An implant installed under the pectoral muscle, on the contrary, is a kind of support that supports the breast tissue and helps to reduce their stretching. But, of course, it is not a cure for natural age-related changes (see endoscopic breast augmentation).

I understand that it is not very pleasant to learn that you may have to undergo breast re-surgery in the future. Some patients initially have tissues that are quite weak or prone to loss of elasticity and, most likely, the problem of changing the implant will not bypass them. During consultations, I always focus on these facts so that patients can weigh the pros and cons.

And finally, in order to reassure the beautiful ladies who read this article, I want to assure you that most patients are absolutely satisfied with the result of the operation and do not regret the procedure one bit.

In order not to worry about this issue, together with the surgeon you must correctly decide on the size of the implant and the method of its installation. Only by choosing a competent approach can you get a wonderful and long-lasting result. With all my patients, even at the first consultation, I fully raise this topic so that even at the communication stage we can come to the right decision. Don’t be afraid to be beautiful and luxurious, because this feeling helps us move forward towards our goal, and this is important!