By Dr. Killeen, published on February 12, 2026
Women deserve a soft and pain-free implant.
You had a breast augmentation 10 years ago — what are some signs that would lead you to consider another surgery? Here's a quick review.
If you have silicone implants, it's important to do proper screening. Starting five years after surgery, get an MRI or ultrasound every other year to check for rupture.
Broken silicone implants are an indication for surgery — even if everything looks great. Ruptured implants are at risk for causing complications down the road, particularly:
We prefer to deal with these quickly when we find them. That's why screening matters.
You've had your implants for 10 years and you've outgrown them in some way — they're too big, too small, sitting too low, or there's something about them you don't like. Aesthetic concerns are absolutely an indication for breast revision surgery.
What type of implant do you have? Macro-textured implants are associated with a rare cancer called BIA-ALCL (breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma). Although we don't know definitively if removing and replacing them with a different type reduces the risk of this cancer, I don't think it's unreasonable.
I've had patients come in and say, "I have this implant, I don't want it in my body anymore — can we switch it?" I think that's a reasonable decision.
Are there better implants on the market now that could solve things that bug you about your current ones? Even if they look great, if you feel they're a little too firm, or you have rippling with certain positioning, newer implants may be able to remedy those problems.
With the current generation of implants, 10 years isn't that long. But with older implants, rupture rates start to increase. If your implants were placed many years ago, even if they look okay, it's reasonable to consider replacing them to avoid rupture-related complications.
Saline implants were very popular during the period when silicone was off the market because they were the only option available. But they're an inferior device. If you have saline implants placed during the moratorium and you don't love them, it's reasonable to consider replacing them with silicone for a more natural look and feel.
These are the main reasons we consider switching implants out. Women deserve a soft, pain-free result — and if something about your implants bothers you, there are options. Talk to your surgeon about what makes sense for your situation.