One of the many things that I love about a breast augmentation is that, when performed properly, it is a fairly straight forward surgical procedure. It is also a very popular one which is why I think some patients forget that a breast implant is still a foreign device that we are placing in your body.
For this reason, they require maintenance in order to continue to function properly and safely. I like to remind my Boston area patients that no breast implant is a lifetime device. Here are some of the best ways to maintain the health of your breast implants.
Choose a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
Proper maintenance of your breast implants really starts long before you enter the operating room. Choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon such as myself with extensive experience in breast surgery is probably the single best thing that you can do to ensure the health and longevity of your breast implants. You want a surgeon with the:
- Expertise
- Training
- Artistic eye
Who can match your desired outcome with a range of implants that will work for your individual anatomy. Not everybody can support any implant. If you place a breast implant that is too big for your body, you will potentially wind up with complications such as implant malposition or bottoming out. Furthermore, seeing a surgeon who does not utilize precise surgical techniques may lead to capsular contracture.
Explicit content – Discretion advised.
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Take Advantage of Yearly Breast Augmentation Check-Up in Boston
The other important thing about maintaining your implants is seeing your breast surgeon annually for a check-up. I offer this to all of my breast surgery patients. It allows me to monitor your overall breast health and implants so that we can catch any issues that may arise early. As mentioned, no breast implant lasts forever.
The length of time before you will need to have your implants replaced is individual, but 10-12 years is a good benchmark. Even if your breast implants are still in good shape, it is still recommended that they get switched out. Implants that are 10-12 years old are more likely to have a rupture, which is likely silent. In addition, many patients find that their aesthetic needs and interests change in a decade. The breast implant that worked for you at 20, for example, may no longer deliver the look that you want at 40 or 50.
MRI at 5 Years with Silicone Breast Implants
If you are like most breast augmentation patients and chose silicone gel implants instead of saline, it is important to schedule regular MRI appointments. Though the rupture rate with all implants is low, and the one for silicone implants is actually lower than saline, the downside of silicone is that if they spring a leak, you won’t know without imaging.
This is why the FDA recommends that all silicone gel breast implant patients get their first MRI at 5 years post placement and then every 2-3 years thereafter until they are exchanged at the 10-12 year mark. It is shocking to me how few patients take this referral seriously.
An MRI is neither painful nor difficult to schedule. And since an undetected silicone leak may cause issues such as changes in the shape and size of your breasts, why wouldn’t you do everything in your power to catch it early? The bottom line is that maintaining the health of your breast implants does require some effort, but it’s worth it in the long run.
To find out more about breast augmentation or any other surgical or non-surgical procedure with Dr. Sean Doherty at his Boston or Brookline office, contact us today or call (617) 450-0070 to schedule a consultation.