SIX REASONS TO HAVE YOUR BREAST IMPLANTS REPLACED

Borstimplantaten wissel Global Care Clinic

Breast implants don't have an expiration date, but they don't last indefinitely either.

However, how often you replace your breast implants and why you decide to replace them depends on individual factors such as:

your age,
your health / lifestyle,
your personal preferences and
the expertise of your plastic surgeon.

Why should you consider having your breast implants replaced?

Every case is different, but in this blog, we list six of the most popular reasons why women decide to have their breast implants replaced.

Also click here for further information about implant change.

1. you want to change the size or shape of your breasts

The most common reason for changing implants is changing to a different size, shape or type of prosthesis.

You will remember the moment you first received your implants and how happy you were with your new breasts. But due to weight loss, aging (menopause), breastfeeding,... decreases the amount of mammary glands ("atrophy") as a result of which breasts, despite the implants, change size and shape. For this reason, some women opt for new breast implants over time.

Breast implants have undergone a very large positive evolution in recent decades, among others. to safety and natural 'look and feel'. You may consider doing a breast change to replace your old implants with the newest type of implants.

Below you can see the before and after pictures of an implant change: in this patient, the implants were enlarged from 265cc (top photos) to 345cc (bottom photos).

2. your breasts start to droop

Breasts naturally begin to droop with age, even if you have implants. Over time, gravity will take its toll.

Rapid weight loss and even weight gain can also affect the appearance of your breasts. If you suddenly lose or gain a lot of weight, you may see sagging or stretch marks around your implants.

Pregnancy/breastfeeding can also contribute greatly to changes in the breasts, as the amount of breast tissue expands during pregnancy and then shrinks after childbirth or the cessation of milk production. This can affect the shape of your breasts.

Regardless of why your breasts have deformed, you may want to improve the appearance of your implants and rejuvenate your breasts when they start to sag.

A common misconception is that sagging breasts can be improved by inserting a larger prosthesis. Without a breast lift, this larger implant does exactly the opposite, causing the breasts to sag even more.

In these cases, your plastic surgeon can combine the prosthesis change with a breast lift. Click here for more information about breast lift.

Below you can see the before and after pictures of a breast lift-prosthesis change of a patient of Dr Nelissen, who had a breast augmentation with 380cc done in the past. These prostheses were now replaced by 240cc prostheses and the breasts were lifted simultaneously.

3. you are developing capsular problems

The formation of a capsule or membrane around the breast implants is a completely normal reaction of the body (to the foreign object) and is therefore not in itself a complication.

In some cases, however, this membrane will harden ("capsular contracture"), and then we speak of an abnormal reaction and a possible complication.

Capsular contracture not only makes the breast feel harder, but also makes the breasts look more uneven and positioned higher on the chest. We also call this "the hard balls effect", because the breasts look like hard balls.

The chances of capsular contracture are small. The Motiva breast implants we use only have a 0.5% risk. For that reason, the manufacturer gives a guarantee against capsular contracture.

Capsular contracture usually occurs within 2 years. Some women notice the hardening within six months. There is no way to predict who will develop capsular contracture or when it will occur. That is why we always emphasize the importance of fulfilling the free check-up appointments (of which 4 in the first year after the breast augmentation).

To address capsular contracture, your breast implants should be replaced and a capsular correction should be performed to remove the scar tissue.

4. YOUR BREAST IMPLANTS ARE RUPTURED

This is an obvious reason to have your implants replaced.

Tearing of silicone implants can be difficult to diagnose because the gel-like material of implants allows them to retain their shape even if they rupture. You will therefore not be able to diagnose a fracture on your own, and therefore it is important to have your implants checked annually.

An MRI is the best way to find out if your silicone implant still holds up. This may seem like a hassle, but you don't want to keep a torn implant, even if it's made of silicone. It is better to replace your implant and deal with this problem quickly. You can also link the examination to your periodic breast cancer screening.

But even with an MRI, sometimes no exclusion can be given. We have already known cases where the MRI (cautiously) indicated a "possible" rupture, while the prosthesis turned out to be completely intact during the removal.

5. uw implantatS START TO "ripple"

"Rippling" is another possible reason why you may want to replace a breast implant.

Rippling = the appearance of visible implant edges under the skin, similar to a "corrugated sheet" pattern. This occurs mainly in patients with thin or reduced ("atrophy") breast tissues due to old age, breastfeeding, emaciation,...

The latest generation of implants has a more cohesive gel and is more completely filled, significantly reducing the risk of rippling.

In these cases, a hybrid breast augmentation can also be chosen, in which fat injections are administered locally in the right places (lipofilling).

6. YOU ARE NOT/NO LONGER SATISFIED WITH YOUR PREVIOUS BREAST AUGMENTATION

After all, there are women who are simply not satisfied with the results of their breast augmentation. That's why it's so important to find the best plastic surgeon and have a one-on-one consultation with them.

With proper communication before the procedure, you have a better chance of getting the look you want and being satisfied with the results of your surgery.

Een ervaren plastisch chirurg zal het borstimplantaat bovendien op de juiste manier plaatsen, wat asymmetrie en verschuiving van de implantaten voorkomt.

In addition, an experienced plastic surgeon will place the breast implant correctly, which prevents asymmetry and shifting of the implants.

Many women desire breast augmentation surgery to correct existing inequalities in their breasts. A breast augmentation won't make your breasts perfect, but it can help make your breasts more symmetrical if the right implants are chosen. In some situations, the shape and structure of your rib cage can also contribute to assymetry, so this will have to be taken into account. "Measuring is knowing": this is also the reason why every patient is extensively measured and photographed to capture the right starting point

WhAT can you do yourself to keep your implants as long as possible?

Choosing the right plastic surgeon has a big impact on whether and when you should get a prosthesis change. The more skilled your plastic surgeon is (and the more experience he/she has with breast augmentations), the longer you will be able to keep your breast implants.
Scheduling checkup appointments and conducting self-examinations can also extend their lifespan.

Source: This text is an adaptation of the contribution on the American Society for Plastic Surgeons website by Plastic Surgeon Dr. Paul Vitenas, Jr., MD, Houston, Texas.

Click here for more information about implant change in the Global Care Clinic.