Breast implants are tough and made to withstand normal life. However, fashion designer Tonia Land learned that they don’t stand up to being twisted by an ex-husband. The regular twisting of her drunk husband caused tears, leakage and drainage, requiring her to have breast revision and new implants. Now, you aren’t likely to twist and manipulate your own breasts, but how durable are breast implants and how long do breast implants last?
Breast Implants Will Not Last a Lifetime
If you had your breast augmentation with the goal of having perky and full breasts forever, I have some bad news for you. While breast implants are designed to be safe and long-lasting, implants are not a forever thing. In general, the chance of rupture is minimal in the first few years, but on average the chance of rupture increases by one percent every year. In most cases, women consider implant replacement every ten years or so. Talk with your surgeon as you approach the ten-year mark and follow their recommendations.
Breast Implants are Durable and Made to Endure
You hear that breast implants are strong, durable and made to withstand daily normal, but what about extremes? Will they burst like a balloon when the pressure of a mammogram hits? If it is a cold winter will the saline freeze and leave you with rock hard and frozen breasts? Will a loss in cabin pressure when flying cause them to expand and burst? Luckily the answer is no to all of those concerns! The show MythBusters showed that expansion is minimal with increased altitude, so no risk of popping during your next flight.
As far as extreme temperatures, implants are made to maintain the same temperature as your body, so unless you plan to become a human popsicle, you should be fine. As to pressure, implants are designed to withstand hundreds of pounds of pressure and the average mammogram only produces about four pounds. While it may still be uncomfortable, your mammogram isn’t likely to burst your boobs.
Proper Care of Implants Reduces Risk
You can probably guess that twisting and pulling on your implants is not the way to properly care for them and will likely cause damage. However, proper care after your breast augmentation and over the years will help reduce the risk of complications and extend the life of your implants. Be sure to closely follow your aftercare instructions and wear the surgical bra as directed. Attend regular checkups with your surgeon to ensure the implants are in good shape and there aren’t any developing problems.
Get to know your new breasts and how different they feel. This will enable you to perform regular breast self-examinations and detect possible complications if they occur. Follow your doctor’s recommendation for regular mammograms and taking care of your health. If you have silicone implants, follow the regular MRI schedule your surgeon recommends This will help detect possible ruptures or other complications.
These regular care methods will help keep your new implants happy and reduce the risk of complications. And don’t forget, twisting your implants is not recommended!
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