Breast implants: Looking at the different risk periods

Once upon a time there may have been a few raised eyebrows in the room when the term "breast implants" was coined. After all, it was relatively new, and supposedly only open to a select group of people.

Well, times have changed. It's yet another procedure that has really opened itself up to the masses and whether you are an A-list celebrity donning the red carpet on a weekly basis, or an Average Joe, breast implants are open to all.

While they may have become more common, let's not forget that there can still be risks involved in this procedure. Through today's article, we will take a look at the various periods where this risk comes into the picture, to help you with your journey.

The immediate aftermath

There is a lot of talk about the ruptured breast implant when it comes to this procedure, but in truth this is something that tends to occur later down the line.

In the immediate aftermath, there are other things to take note of. These tend to revolve around the healing process, with some incisions taking longer than others to fully recover. This can also increase the chance of infection.

It can mean that patients have to turn to antibiotics or, if the infection is severe enough, complete removal of the implants.

During the first twelve months

Generally, the main issue that can occur during the first twelve months is the disposition of the implant. As the name suggests, this is all about the breast implant not quite sitting correctly. Additionally, some women might feel that the implant has rippled - with both of these problems usually clearly felt by the patient.

The first few years

This is where some of the more "common" problems start to enter the picture. We've mentioned the ruptured implant, but something that tends to occur even more in these first few years is a leaking implant. This happens from standard "wear and tear", and on a positive note if the puncture is quite small you can definitely live with it.

This was once a really common problem, but advancements in gel silicone implants mean that this will happen in less than one in ten cases.

The ten-year anniversary

Historically, this is the point in time in which women become the most worried. However, if we were to look at the figures, it is understood that just 20% of women will need their implant replacing at this point. Many will keep them in, without replacement, and this is completely fine to do provided there have been no reported issues. This means keeping an eye on the leaks, ruptures and capsular contracture - all of which become more common as time progresses.

From a more specific point of view, also keep an eye of various symptoms that can be associated with the above problems. If you find that hardness, redness or swelling is occurring in your breast, seek attention from a doctor as there is every chance that action needs to be taken due to the age of your implants.