They can rupture or leak, and saline implants may deflate. Capsular contracture may also occur, which is shrinkage of natural scar tissue that your body produces around any implanted medical device.
Most silicone and saline implants are FDA approved for 10-20 years, but this does not mean that you have to get them replaced every 10-20 years. You can safely go beyond these time frames, and most patients only have to have 1-2 replacements in their lifetime.
Sagging. This is the most common, and natural cosmetic change you may find as you age with breast implants. Sagging can often be corrected with a breast lift, and sometimes with new implants.
The average lifespan of breast implants
On average, today's implants are designed to last more than a decade, with the chance of rupture increasing by one percent each year. So, the older your implants are, the greater your risk of rupture or other complications.
They may sag and the implant may become noticeable. This is due to hormonal changes within the body. In addition, pregnancy and breastfeeding can also alter the appearance of the breasts. These reasons may have women undergoing the procedure in order to restore their breasts.
You may be able to get the removal of breast implants covered by your insurance company if your physician recommends their removal due to a medical condition, in which case, this type of removal would be classified as reconstructive surgery rather than cosmetic surgery.
What Are the Reasons for Breast Implant Removal? Women may choose to have their breast implants removed for implant complications, changes in aesthetic preference, or medical conditions like breast implant illness (BII) or breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).
There is a link between old breast implants and a cancer called breast implant-associated large cell lymphoma, or BIA-ALCL. BIA-ALCL develops in the scar tissue between the breasts and the implants. The longer the breast implants are in, the higher the risk of BIA-ALCL development.
Breast implants don't last a lifetime. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons recommends that people with breast implants have them removed or replaced every 10 to 15 years. However, your plastic surgeon may not recommend that you have them removed if you haven't had any complications.
How Breast Implants Change Over Time in the Body. As we age, our skin's collagen production slows, making our skin more prone to loosening and sagging. Breasts with implants are more prone to sagging caused by the excess weight in the implant and from the natural effects of aging.
Within two years of having silicone breast implants inserted, women reported experiencing signs and symptoms of connective tissue disease such as increased muscle weakness, fatigue, and muscle and joint pain. These symptoms may explain the chronic pain that is being experienced.
If you're worried that your immune system could react to the implant and reject it, this won't happen. It's vital to know if you consider breast augmentation that modern implants are approved by the FDA and safe. This means there will never be a rejection or immune system reaction when the implants are put in the body.
Affected patients typically experience some combination of fatigue, myalgia, joint pain, sicca syndrome (dry eyes and mouth), synovitis, rash, alopecia, muscular weakness or lymphadenopathy, and autoantibody formation.
How Painful Is Breast Implant Removal? Breast implant removal is typically performed while you are fully asleep under general anesthesia, so you should not feel a thing during the actual surgery. During recovery, however, it is normal to feel some soreness and discomfort for about a week.
Breast implant “removal without replacement” means that when performing breast revision surgery, the implants are permanently removed instead of replaced. With most revisionary breast surgeries, the implants are exchanged for newer implants or implants of a different material or type.
Some older implants can cause autoimmune symptoms, which can be aggravated by certain types of silicone leakage. Symptoms can include difficulty concentrating, memory issues, and dry mouth.
A University of Alberta study found that one in four breast implantation patients are at risk of developing autoimmune diseases. Women with implants were 45% more likely to develop such a condition than those without implants. Women were also much more likely to suffer allergies after the implant than before.
Determining the cause of your symptoms
More than 100 symptoms have been associated with breast implant illness, including headaches, fatigue, and gastrointestinal problems. Symptoms can occur with any type of breast implants and can start immediately after implantation or years later.
Typically, there will be some loose skin (the larger the implant, the more stretched, loose skin), loss of fullness in the upper part of the breast, and usually, some sagging where the remaining breast tissue sits too low on the chest.
Once implants are removed, the volume of the breasts reduces significantly. This can cause several aesthetic implications: Breasts may appear deflated with a “sagging” appearance. Skin is loose and prone to extensive wrinkling.
Overall, you should feel completely normal after getting your implant taken out. Your arm may feel tender or swollen around where the implant was for a few days. It may look bruised for a week or two. Your doctor or nurse will tell you how to wash and take care of your skin for a couple of days after removal.
The cost of implant replacement is higher than that of implant removal. You'll need to pay for the initial removal, replacement implants, and any related procedures. Depending on your procedure package and geographic location, your overall out-of-pocket cost may be anywhere from $2,500 to $7,000.
How much does breast implant removal cost? The average cost of breast implant removal surgery is $3,049, according to the most recent statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.