There’s a rumor floating around that breast implants need to be replaced every 10 years. This is entirely untrue. When it comes to implants our philosophy is simple: “If it doesn’t bother you… don’t bother it.” Whether it has been 10 years, 15, 20, or even longer since you received your breast implants, odds are they don’t need replacing.

When Do Implants Need to Be Replaced?

While breast implants don’t need to be replaced just because a certain number of years have passed, there times when an implant will need to be changed out. If you are experiencing any of the following, schedule an appointment to come in and talk about your implants.

• Sizing Up or Down– Are you happy with the size of your implants? If you want larger or smaller implants, replacement will be necessary. If you have saline implants and want a smaller sized bust, we may be able to deflate your implants in office to give you some time to evaluate if you want a new smaller implant or to remove the implant without replacement. A breast lift can often performed at the same time as an implant replacement if you need sagging corrected.

• Capsular Contracture– One of the most common complications with breast implants, capsular contracture, occurs when the pocket around the implant (called a capsule) thickens, reducing the amount of space the implant has. This can result in the breast becoming harder, misshapen, and in rare cases, painful. When patients experience capsular contracture where the breast is misshapen, often implant replacement is the best solution to remedy the problem.

• Implant Rupture– Implants have improved significantly over the last 30 years with rupture rates getting better and better all of the time. With saline implants it is very easy to tell if a rupture has occurred as the impacted breast will quickly deflate as the body absorbs the saline. Finding a rupture in a silicone implant is more difficult and will often require an MRI. If either your saline or silicone implant ruptures, replacement or removal will be needed; give us a call if you have any concerns.

When Should Implants Stay Put?

If you don’t have any of the three situation sdiscussed previously, leave your implants where they are. There is no reason to do anything other than enjoy your gorgeously augmented breasts. A new twist on the old saying, “Let sleeping dogs lie,” could be, “Let perfect implants stay put.”

If you have any concerns about your breast implants, come in and see us.