One of the most recurrent questions among patients who want to undergo breast augmentation is how long the prostheses will last in good condition and when it is necessary to return to the intervention to change them. Dr. Escariz’s practice bases its activity on informing patients.
When is it necessary to change the breast prosthesis?
The first point to keep in mind is that these prostheses do not have a marked life. Each person carries out activities to a greater or lesser extent and have different metabolisms, so the change of prosthesis varies between patients.
Some time ago, it was common to hear that the ideal time for this change was stipulated after 10 years of surgery. Nowadays, materials have different properties that, with the improvement in technology and medicine, have evolved to make them more resistant and durable. However, the easiest way to know if it is time to change the prosthesis is during a revision surgery. Therefore, it is always recommended to go to a consultation for a review with some regularity.
Do breast prostheses have an expiration date?
The expiration date of an implant is not fixed. It will depend on the signs of wear or the probability of rupture of the implant. In addition, there are certain conditions that also require an intervention to replace the prosthesis such as:
- Suffering a capsular contracture. Faced with an external element, such as the prosthesis, the body can create a capsule. This protection of the body is natural, as long as it does not cause pain.
- Double groove. This occurs when there is a noticeable difference between where the mammary gland ends and where the prosthesis ends. In this case, the replacement is assessed according to the condition and age, adapting the volume of the implant to the breast tissue.
- For a change of volume, in case the patient would like to increase the breast size again or reduce it. In these cases, it is only possible to perform a new intervention.
- Formation of folds in the implants.
- Unsatisfactory aesthetic result of a subsequent surgery.
- Implant sagging.
Is the material of the breast prosthesis resistant?
Although the materials with which the implants are manufactured are of high quality and very durable, in some cases the prostheses may suffer some wear over time and trigger a breakage of the same.
At the slightest doubt of suffering any of these cases, a specialist should be consulted to prevent it from becoming a more complicated problem for the patient’s health.