How Long Do Breast Implants Last (And Why)?

Exact Answer: More than 10 years

To get a perfect body is a dream for everyone. One such way to attain that look is through breast implantation. Breast implantation is a surgical process that is done to give shape, size, and contour to the breast. The procedure done to place the implants inside the breast is called mammoplasty.

American plastic surgeons named Cronin and Frank Gerow invented the modern breast implant and the implants were first manufactured by Dow Corning. Breast implants are most commonly used for patients who have undergone accidents or for aesthetic purposes. With this procedure come a lot of risks as well such as muscle weakening, scarring of tissues, etc. Such risks can be reduced by proper aftercare.

How Long Do Breast Implants Last?

Breast implants are mainly of four types depending upon the types of fillers inside them. They are as follows:-

1. Saline solution
2. Silicone gel
3. Composite filler
4. Structural filler

Although breast implants do not have an expiry date they have limited product life. With each passing year, its probability of getting ruptured increases by one percent. It is found that if taken care of, the implants can last for more than a decade(10 years). Depending upon the type of fillers the breast implants have different product life. The following table shows the longevity of various breast implants:-

Why Do Breast Implants Last For This Long?

There is no fixed period or information as to which how long an implant will last. In many cases, it is seen that the product life of a basic silicone breast implant is 10-20 years. People prefer to change their implants before this period because of many reasons. The main reason is the rupture of the breast implants. There are numerous reasons why breast implants rupture. For example, A trauma or an accident or by normal aging of implants. A mammogram helps in ascertaining such issues through the implementation of ultrasonography.

No breast implant lasts for a lifetime. With its natural aging, it will start to go bad. Gravity will still start to play its role which will result in breast sagging if the implants are really old. In many cases, implants develop dimples and ripples on them. With the passage of time, it is also possible that the implants may change their position. Due to these reasons, breast implants are to be changed after a definite period of time to prevent further damage.

Conclusion

In order to give shape, structure, and contour to the breasts and to make them look more fuller, breast implants are used. The process of implanting these implants is called mammoplasty. This is a surgical process. The breast implants vary depending on the type of fillers used. The different types of fillers used are silicone, saline, composite and structural. The product life of implants depends on the type of fillers. Silicone implants are believed to have a longer lifespan.

This procedure is used by patients who have undergone major accidents or for aesthetic purposes. The silicone-saline implant is believed to last for 10-20 years, the composite implant for 10-12 years, and the structural implant lasts for 5-10 years. It is advised to get the breast implants replaced after a fixed period of time because with every passing year, the possibility of the implant getting ruptured increases.

With time there are rimples and dimples seen on the implants which is a sign that they need replacement. Along with the aging, the implants start to sag which results in breast sagging. Breast implants can last for a good 10-12 years without undergoing any wear or tear but they have to be replaced after this time frame so that no damage takes place. If the implants are left there for a very long period of time they may result in joint pain, tissue rupturing and scaring, and many other problems.

References

1. https://journals.lww.com/plasreconsurg/Fulltext/2006/03000/Craniofacial_Deformity_in_Patients_with.6.aspx
2. https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/abs/10.7326/m15-1169