Breast enlargements

[fruit]

How long do breast implants last. I've been told 10 yrs, after which time they have to be changed. Is this true or did that only apply to the old implants that was used yrs ago.

[gazzawazza]

There was a programme on TV about a year ago which said that whenever a female has breast implants she condemns herself to further surgery. They did mention that they last a maximum of ten years after which time they need to be replaced or removed.

[Miss Zippy]

Breast implants do not come with a lifetime guarantee and should not be considered as a 'one-off' procedure. How long an implant will 'last' in any one person depends on a number of variables and it is impossible say how an individual's body may react to a foreign body being inserted. Some women are lucky and may experience no adverse effects for 10 or 12 years; others may experience shifting or deflation of the implant or, worse, infection, much sooner. The materials used in implants (at least in the UK) are silicone, saline, hydrogel and PVP. PVP is the newest material to be introduced, though newer does not necessarily mean better or safer, as women who had soya bean implants between 1995 and 1999 can testify. Soya bean implants were withdrawn in 1999 after it was found that the 'natural' disintegration of the oil into the body posed unacceptable health risks and the 5,000 or so women who had these implants were all advised by the department of health to have them removed. Needless to say, if you are considering implants yourself, go and speak with your GP first who can advise you of reputable surgeons and obtain and digest as much info as you can.

[mikewith]

Am I wrong in thinking that in California there are/ were women who bequeathed their implants to their daughters or granddaughters? (The implication being the implants were long-lasting and the smaller-than-desired breasts were hereditary?)