Many women are concerned about how long their implants will last. This is totally normal! It’s perfectly natural to wonder what happens to your implant once it has been used for all of its life. Luckily, we have some helpful information here so that you know just what to expect!
It is very important to understand that there is no set length of time that an average breast implant will last. Each person is different due to individual body shapes, weight changes, and activity levels.
Breast implants can also wear out or tear down at a much faster pace depending on what you do with them. For example, if you physically pull on the tissue around the implant, this can cause the implant to rupture and require replacement.
This article will go into more detail about the factors that affect how well your implants will hold up, as well as some tips for minimizing any risks.
History of breast augmentation
Many people wonder how long implantation lasts, and there is no clear answer to this question. Due to implants being made out of silicone, it is difficult to know just how long they will last. Some say that they can survive up to ten years while others claim one person’s implant may last as little as six months and another person’s may completely disintegrate within two years!
It is very important to remember that due to individual differences in body shape, size, and weight, what works for one person might not work well for you. As with any cosmetic procedure, individuals’ results will vary. It is also worth noting that longer lasting results will increase your self-esteem, which is a worthy cost.
Breast augmentation using implants has been around since at least 1972, when Dr. George Makhlouf performed his first surgery. Since then, many different types of implants have been designed to be more durable and/or natural looking.
How breast implants work
The implant you choose will come with your doctor’s recommendation of how long it should last, but here are some general numbers to know!
Breast implants are not indestructible. As with any other implanted object (such as a heart stent or hip joint), they can fail. When that happens, either your surgeon or medical experts at another facility will perform an explantation to remove the implant.
The length of time for an implant to fail is different for every person. For some, it may only take a few months after placement before it fails. For others, it could be years. There are no hard and fast rules about when to do this. It really depends on the individual patient and their body.
Surgery to remove a failed implant can sometimes cause small lacerations in surrounding tissue. These heal quickly and completely on their own, but depending on the size of the implant, there is a chance minor bleeding might occur. We recommend wearing a hospital-style compression top until you feel comfortable moving around more fully.
Given that most people who have implants also undergo surgery to reduce or eliminate their natural breasts later on, using the same pair of underwear past that stage can help minimize discomfort.
Types of implants
The two major types of breast implant are saline gel-filled and silicone gel. There are also fat grafting implants, which are not typically used to be reinserted into your chest.
Saline gel implants have a slightly lower risk of complications than silicon gel implants. This is because their fluid can seep out more easily, so they require less frequent changes to the implant.
Silicone gel implants have one of the highest risks of complication of all three main type implants. This is due to the very nature of how it composes tissue. Silicone does not metabolize or break down in the body, so it stays in the torso for years at a time. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort, you may need to consider replacing your implant.
There is no clear way to tell how long an implant will last, but we do know that younger women are less likely to experience complications with implants. This is why some experts suggest going up a size as implants age.
Medical complications
There are several potential medical complications that can occur due to breast implant loss or rupture. Some of these symptoms include pain, redness, swelling, fluid collection around the implants, hardening or thickening of the skin, and implant infection.
If you experience any of these symptoms after your surgery, please see yourself for appropriate evaluation. It is important to note that not all patients experiencing these symptoms will require additional treatment as some people may recover spontaneously.
However, it is best to be seen by a doctor so that proper diagnosis and treatments can be given if needed. We recommend speaking with your surgeon about how they would handle this situation in case anything like this happens during your recovery.
How long do breast implants last?
The length of time that an average person can expect their implant to stay in place is determined by two things: how well you care for your surgery and how much additional tissue there is around it to stabilize it.
Your surgeon will discuss this with you before performing your surgery, but most people go through a period where their breasts droop due to the muscle relaxation caused from the anesthesia. This sometimes makes them feel uncomfortable as the implants are no longer supported by muscles.
Making sure to maintain strength in your abdominal wall and chest musculature is important to keep your new implants stable. Also, staying active and engaging in sports helps strengthen these areas. Yours body naturally removes excess fluid so working out really aids in healing as well!
Breast augmentation patients usually have follow up appointments six months after surgery to check on the size and shape of the implants and determine if further enhancement is needed. But, even then, not everyone’s implants eventually fall out completely.
Tips for caring for your implants
The length of time that an implant will last depends on several factors, including how well you take care of it! That includes changing gel or saline injection into your breast as needed, along with doing regular checkups to make sure your breasts are looking their best.
It’s also important to know what kind of implant you have. There are two main types: silicone gel-filled implants and saline-filled implants. And while they both look and feel similar, there is some difference in how long they will last.
Silicone gel-filled implants can dry out and lose fluid over time. This doesn’t usually cause problems unless you develop an allergy to them. But if you do, it may affect how well your chest looks and feels like its own separate piece.
Saline (water) implants don’t go through any sort of drying out process, but they will eventually be replaced by tissue. So even though your surgeon might ask you to wait at least three years after surgery before having additional implants, your body won’t allow that.
So try to enjoy your new breasts as soon as possible! We’re not saying you should get rid of yours earlier than necessary — we’re just asking you to be aware so you’re not surprised later.
Breast augmentation surgery
Many women feel that breast implants will eventually “fall out” or “poof!” disappear, but this is not necessarily true. There are several reasons why some patients may need additional surgeries down the road to have their implants removed.
Breast implant durability varies from person to person depending on your body’s natural healing process, the size of each implant, and how you care for yourself after your procedure.
It is very important to understand that there is no industry standard as to what defines an “inexpensive” implant. Implant price depends more on the size than anything else.
Inexpensive implants can still be quite expensive in the long run if you do not use appropriate care to prevent infection. Adherence to certain standards and protocols for wound management and recovery can make a big difference in implant longevity.
Breast lift
A breast lift is another way to refresh your look by reducing or enhancing fullness of the breasts. It can be done via surgery or non-surgical methods, but either one will take quite a bit of time for it to fully re-shape the skin and muscle around the chest area.
Surgery usually takes about an hour to an hour and a half, depending on how many additional procedures you have during the surgery. Make sure you are prepared for the duration of the surgery and the first few days after!
Non-surgery treatments such as wearing gel bras or weight lifting can also help reduce sagging breasts, so if you’re looking to do things yourself, those are good alternatives to surgical intervention.