Women who are considering a breast augmentation procedure often have many questions, but at the top of their mind is usually how long their results will last. The answer is that augmentation results can last many years, but the actual longevity of your results will depend on a variety of factors. Our experts at Northstate Plastic Surgery Associates in Chico, CA can teach you how to extend the life of your new breasts.
How Long Do Breast Augmentation Results Last?
Average Longevity
Overall, augmentation procedures for the breasts are known to produce long-lasting results that will still be evident for 10 years or longer. All types of breast implants, including silicone, saline, and fat transfer implants are safe and durable, which means they are designed to stay in the body for as long as possible. After you have your breast enhancement procedure, you can expect the results to last for at least a decade, with some lasting up to 20 years.
How To Prolong Your Results
While no one can predict with absolute certainty how long your breast enhancement results will last, there are some steps you can take to prolong your results and keep you satisfied with your appearance for many years after your procedure. Following our recommendations after your surgery is complete will help maintain your results for as long as possible.
Not Smoking
We’ll require you to quit smoking at least a few weeks before your procedure, but to maintain your excellent results, you should consider quitting for good. Smoking inhibits the body’s ability to heal, so smoking too soon after your surgery can actually impact your short-term results as well as your long-term results. Additionally, research shows that smoking is a major contributor to skin sagging, which can greatly impact your breasts over time, especially since they’re larger than they were.
Staying Out of the Sun
Exposure to the sun can cause your skin to sag because it breaks down and stretches the collagen that is meant to keep skin firm. After getting your breasts augmented, it’s even more important to keep them out of the sun than it was before because larger breasts are already prone to sagging over time. Sun exposure will accelerate the process of sagging, which will cause your results to fade more quickly. Always wear sunscreen on any exposed skin.
Weight Gain or Loss
Gaining or losing a significant amount of weight after you’ve had a breast enhancement procedure will change the shape of your breasts. We recommend following a balanced diet and maintaining a stable weight following your surgery so that your results will last as long as possible. If you do experience a substantial weight gain or loss, you may need to have a follow-up enhancement procedure to regain your satisfaction with the long-term results.
The Breast Implant Replacement Myth
You may have heard that once you have a breast enhancement procedure, you’ll have to have your implants replaced every 10 years. This is simply not a true statement. Breast implants are meant to be lifelong devices, so once you get them, the goal is to never have to worry about them again. However, some women decide to have a second breast enhancement procedure after a few years as the natural aging process affects their larger breasts.
Usually, the women who do decide to repeat the procedure are those who did not follow the precautions to stop smoking, stay out of the sun, and maintain a stable weight. These factors have such a major impact on the longevity of results that if they aren’t taken seriously, they will end up causing the results to fade more quickly than through the natural aging process. Moreover, once these factors come into play, their damage cannot be reversed.
Candidates for Breast Enhancement
Breast enhancement can be an excellent solution for women who are looking to improve their appearance for any number of reasons. Whether you want your clothes to have a better fit or you simply want to feel better about your body, breast implants can help. However not everyone is a good candidate for this procedure, so when you come into our office, we’ll make sure the procedure is appropriate for you before continuing the process.
In general, if you’re in good physical health, have reasonable expectations about the surgery and recovery, and are currently unsatisfied with the size or shape of your breasts, you’ll most likely benefit from a breast enhancement procedure. We’ll develop a personalized treatment plan based on your expectations and goals, which will provide you with the details of the implantation process, along with recovery advice and future precautions to take to maintain your results for as many years as possible.
Next Steps
As the patient, you ultimately have the power to control how long your breast implants last, as they are designed to be in your body for life. By following our recovery and precautionary guidelines, you’ll still be enjoying your results for at least a decade, if not much longer. Contact our experienced breast enhancement professionals at Northstate Plastic Surgery Associates in Chico, CA to schedule your breast implant consultation today.
