Will I lose sensation in my nipple if I get implants?
Overly large implants may indeed stretch or even disrupt sensory nerves. Implants that are proportional to the chest size may temporarily stretch the sensory nerves, but this usually recovers in time.
What happens if I don’t want to replace my implants after removing them?
Leaving the skin to shrink is an option, but this may take time – just like the tummy skin shrinks after having a baby. Having a breast lift without replacing the implants is a very good option. Many women are surprised that they have enough of their own breast tissue years later. They may have been young, skinny and flat chested when their implants were first put in. After having gained a little weight over the years this has benefitted their breasts, meaning they can have a very good long term result from uplift surgery without needing new implants.
When do I need to change my implants?
The usual lifetime of an implant is somewhere between 10-20 years. Many patients have had their implants in for much longer. If a Capsular Contracture develops or the implant ruptures, it may need to be removed much sooner. Making provision for this by having a savings account indefinitely helps.
What happens if implants stay in too long?
Implants are a man-made device and as such can’t last indefinitely. In time, either a capsular contracture or implant rupture occurs. Capsular contracture is when the internal scar shrinks and presses on the implant making it feel much firmer, and eventually hard. The shape may also change to become rounder and sit higher up than before. This often happens in only one breast, but in time may happen in both breasts. Rupture is when the silicone envelope tears. This can be from a sharp blow on the chest (like a fall), or being squashed (mammogram), or from a fold in the implant caused by capsular contracture. If the silicone is liquid it will leak out, if it is a ‘jelly baby’ implant the contents will stay more or less together.
Why a good sports bra is so important.
Wear and tear on an implant can be delayed by wearing a firm sports bra during bouncy exercise (running, horse riding, cross trainer). It can definitely prevent droop if the implants are above the muscle. Sleeping in a bra can also help.
