Many people believe that breast implants must be removed and replaced every ten years. This misconception has nearly become common knowledge and is simply not true. It is based upon one study that showed that breast implants grow weaker over time. As time passes they have an increased risk for rupture. Specifically, there is a cumulative 1% risk each year that breast implants will fail (break). That means that three years after breast augmentation there is a 3% chance of them breaking, and after ten years a 10% chance of them breaking. While the study implies that it might be a good idea to replace ten year old breast implants it does not suggest that doing so is a medical necessity.
If you have breast implants that look good and feel good leave them alone. It doesn’t matter if they are brand new, ten years old or even 30 years old. Every patient is different and should be treated individually. You don’t need to treat your breast implants like your car – you don’t need to get ten year oil changes!
