Very old implants

Hi
I'm new to this site. I had BA 22 years ago!!!! After seeing my GP for something else he has suggested I see someone about 'updating' them. I did see someone about 6years ago but he said I had a really good shape etc and he couldn't guarantee getting the same result if he did them again. He said that as I am quite slim, I haven't got a lot of tissue around my breasts and removing the old implants could also remove some tissue too.
I was wondering if anyone else had implants as old as mine

Hello and welcome to Breast Buddies Lyn  

If your implants are still intact and you're still happy with them there's absolutely no reason whatsoever why you should have to change them if you don't want to.

However... The ONLY way to ensure the implants are intact Lynn would be to arrange a scan. An ultrasound is OK but it has been known to miss ruptures, so for the best chance of ensuring your implants are intact you will need to arrange an MRI hun and have them checked over.

No doctor or surgeon would be able to diagnose this from feeling, this can only be diagnosed by a scan. Xx

Wow Hi lyn17p... I think that may be a record here! that's amazing they have lasted so long! 
Have you had any scans to see if they are still in tact? That's great to see you have been happy with them for such a long time! x

wow that is so good that you have had them that long thats great xx

Thank you for all your comments. I still love my boobs. I'm 50 now and they are sagging normally!!! They aren't too big and look very natural. They are a bit rippled underneath but feel fine. I haven't had an MRI -well not for my boobs - so might look into that. I don't know anyone rose who has had BA so not sure if mine hold a record for being so old.
Will leg you know how I get on seeing someone
Lyn

That's great, and fab if you don't 'need' to change them :) good luck in getting them checked out xx

Well on this forum I think you may hold the record for having a set the longest :)it would be good to have a MRI... many of us here look at having them every three years or so just to make sure we havnt had a rupture but still think its amazing! its so supportive here so if you do have a reop anytime soon your get lots of information and support :) xx

I would get an MRI and if they're still fully intact and you're happy with them, then leave them be! :)

I only stumbled across this website when trying to Google breast surgery and how long implants last. I'm up for having them replaced for safety reasons but I'm reluctant as my result is so good and very natural. It's seems weird to be the 'oldest' implantee !!!!! So many horror stories on here as well. I had to have mine redone a year after my first surgery (which was done free of charge as the surgeon messed up). I had a very good surgeon who I'd use again. But so much to think about.

hi lyn, welcome to the forum!!

like the girls said above, and i believe a few of us have been told this by our surgeons too, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

there's no need to update them just for the sake of it seeing as any surgery carries risks, and as you say, your results still look great!

but as was suggested above, if you really wanted to make sure and put your mind at ease, you could get an MRI scan for them. you can get them privately from about 150quid i believe.

you could always go and see a surgeon to see what he or she recommends, but an MRI would be the first step i suppose xx

Just an update to say I'm off to see a consultant in a few weeks to see about having my implants replaced. I don't want to be talked into anything. His secretary said that the 2nd procedure is never as good as the first. I have such a good result that I'm dubious. Will let you know

Did you get a scan in the end?
Best wishes with investigating replacing them or not....
x

Hmmm id wait and see a surgeon andnot take a secretary's word

Plenty of girls are more than happy second, third time around

Good luck zx

Have just seen a consultant and he's sending me for a scan later today. He thinks one implant has ruptured. He says that they normally last between 10 & 20 years so mine being 22 years is not a bad result. Still nervous about having them done again as inhale such a good result.
More soon

Very best wishes for ur scan Lyn, hope everything ok and keep us posted xxD

lyn17p wrote: His secretary said that the 2nd procedure is never as good as the first.

How strange that she would say that    not being a plastic surgeon herself she does not have the authority to say this to you. She hasn't assessed your breasts, she doesn't know what's possible for you... Seems very odd indeed that she would say that. Its almost like she was trying you scare you off isn't it.

I'm glad to read you're finally having a scan Lyn. You really should be doing this every 3 years, although you've had your implants for such a long time its really impossible to know if you have a rupture how long this has been present or whether you should have had the implants replaced a long time ago   

Please let us know the results of the scan Lyn and may I ask who your surgeon is hun?

Good luck with your scan & I'm sure your new boobs when you get them will be just fab! XXX

that comment really annoyed me cookie, who is she to say that the result wont be good

Good luck at the scan and please let us know how it goes x

Ooo Good luck hun x

Sometimes I think secretaries can get abit above themselves and think they are experts in surgery, they should leave opinions on what can and cannot be done to the expert being the surgeon. Other than 2nd and 3rd ops maybe being a little more complicated a procedure removing the capsule etc , can't see any reason why the results wouldn't be just as good as 1st time around, maybe even better in your case Lyn as techniques will have improved in the 22years since your 1st op. XXX

There are many of us who have have a few re-ops here including myself who has had 3 (4 if you wanna include the heamatoma) and they look better now than they did the first time and I think I can speak on behalf of the others who are also happier now too, so her 'presumption' was utter rubbish!

I had a scan and he couldn't see any sign of rupture. Left boob is a lot softer than right and is painful at times. The right he says appears thicker. Just need to decide now whether to have them replaced or leave alone. I'm 50 now so if I do have them redone, healing will be slower due to age. But if I leave them, then need surgery later on, will it be worse. 
Got until Wednesday to think about it as going back to see consultant then. What do I do. I've got a good result and would hate to look false!!!!

If you notice a change in your breast- ie one being thicker than the other it is probably wise to have them redone. As you say yourself- healing will slow down with age and in case you develop complications in few years time with these old implants your recovery may not be the same as it would be now, besides the skin elasticity will change. 

Also worth bearing in mind that the ultrasound scan can miss a rupture- even MRI won't always show signs of it and sometimes it hasn't been discovered until the actual surgery.

Blues absolutely right. A scan isn't 100% effective in locating a rupture and if a rupture is still suspected then an MRI is generally advised.

When you say the surgeon said your right implant felt 'thicker' did he mean 'firmer' a surgeon couldn't tell the thickness of an implant through 'feeling' but they can tell if the capsule surrounding the implant is hardening.

If this is the case then its possibly the start of CC. Now you could wait with this until symptoms actually present themselves. But those symptoms could include pain and visible distortion lovely.

We've had women here your age who have healed just as well as a 20 year old Lyn, so you may well heal very well.

But if there's any sign of trouble starting now...I'd personally exchange and have my new boobs now.

There's never any guarantees though how long implants will will last. You've been 'lucky' this time, but that's not to say this will be your last surgery anyway.... So that's something to bare on mind babe. Xx

Only you can decide on what plan of action to take, personally if it were me I think I would have them done again , there's no reason why you shouldn't get a  good result this time round  and wouldn't have the worry of what's happening inside with the right one!           XXX