How long do breast implants last, and when should they be replaced?

By Mr Omar Quaba, Consultant Plastic Surgeon

The way to find out how yours are doing is a scan. Our breast implant health check is £450 with a consultant plastic surgeon’s review, or £400 for the scan alone.

How long do breast implants last?

Most manufacturers suggest thinking about replacement after 10 to 15 years. Implants are not guaranteed to last a lifetime, and the risk of complications rises significantly after 7 to 10 years.

Some people need an operation sooner because of a problem such as hardened scar tissue around the implant or a rupture. Others reach 10 years with implants that give them no trouble.

If you are thinking about implants for the first time, plan for another operation at some point. Our guide to breast augmentation cost covers what the first one costs.

Do breast implants have to be replaced every 10 years?

No. Implants that cause no symptoms and show nothing of concern on a scan do not always need to come out, even at the 10-year mark. The decision depends on the type and age of your implants, any symptoms you have, and what monitoring has shown.

The same applies to textured implants. UK health authorities do not recommend removing textured implants from people who have no symptoms. We strongly advise regular monitoring.

What can go wrong as implants age?

A check looks for three things.

• Capsular contracture. Your body forms a lining of scar tissue, called the capsule, around every implant. In some people it tightens and hardens.
• Rupture. An implant can rupture without you noticing. A silent rupture often causes no outward symptoms and shows only on a scan. A rupture that does cause symptoms may change the shape of the breast, leave the two sides looking different, or cause pain or swelling.
• Fluid around the implant. A scan can show fluid but cannot tell what it is, so we take a sample and have it tested. Most fluid collections are harmless.

The UK national patient guide to breast augmentation (2021) puts capsular contracture and rupture at up to 1 in 10 each over 10 years, across all implant types. With nanotextured implants, capsular contracture rates are thought to be less than 1 in 20.

BIA-ALCL is a rare type of cancer that can develop around breast implants. It usually shows as new swelling of one breast years after surgery, and it is treatable when found early. The UK figure is about 1 in 12,000 implants sold, all types. There is no screening test for it, and a scan alone cannot diagnose it. If a scan finds fluid around the implant, we take a sample with a small needle and send it to a specialist laboratory. Most fluid collections turn out to be harmless and not related to cancer.

How often should breast implants be checked?

There is no firm UK guidance on how often to check implants. A reasonable approach is a first scan at about 6 years, then one every 2 years, and sooner if you notice any change. Textured implants may need more frequent monitoring. The US regulator, the FDA, recommends a first ultrasound or MRI scan 5 to 6 years after silicone implant surgery, then every 2 to 3 years.

When should I get a check sooner?

Do not wait for the next routine scan if something changes. We recommend a check if you have textured implants, discomfort or concerns about your implants, or if you are planning more breast surgery. Some changes need a doctor first. They are in the last row below.

The symptoms in the last row have many causes and most are not serious, but they need to be checked.

How are implants checked: ultrasound or MRI?

Only a scan can confirm a rupture. A silent rupture gives no outward sign. Ultrasound is the practical way to keep an eye on implants as they age. It picks up silent ruptures, capsular contracture and fluid around the implant. It uses no radiation, so it is safe to repeat, and it costs a fraction of an MRI scan. MRI is the most sensitive test for a rupture. If your case needs an MRI to settle a question, your consultant will tell you.

At Waterfront a consultant breast radiologist does the scan, which takes about 15 to 30 minutes. You do not need to prepare for it. In the full health check you then see a consultant plastic surgeon on the same day, who explains the findings and what, if anything, should follow. If all is well, the plan is routine follow-up. If something needs attention, you talk through the surgical options there and then. Our article on implant health checks at Waterfront has more on the appointment.

What does it cost to check, replace or remove implants?

The scan alone is £400, and the scan with a consultant plastic surgeon’s review is £450. If the scan finds fluid, the sample and the laboratory tests are priced separately and agreed with you before anything is taken.

If you go on to surgery, replacing old implants with new ones (an implant exchange) is £6,800 at today’s prices, and removal is £5,300, depending on complexity. An exchange can cost more if other work is needed, such as removing the scar capsule, and your surgeon tells you at the consultation. Removal with a breast uplift is £10,000, and new implants with an uplift cost from £11,800. En bloc removal, where the implant and its capsule come out as one unit, is £13,500 with an uplift.

The surgical prices are on our guide prices page. Each surgical price covers your surgeon, a consultant anaesthetist, the hospital and theatre, your medicines and dressings, a post-surgical bra, and follow-up for a year, including treatment of complications caused directly by the operation.

Keep, replace or remove?

Once you know how your implants are doing, you have three choices.

Whether an uplift would help after removal depends on how much sagging and loose skin there is. Our guides to uplift, implants or both and breast uplift cost cover that choice, and the breast implant removal page has the full list of risks.

The capsule does not usually need to come out with the implant. We remove it only for specific clinical reasons, such as capsular contracture, a ruptured implant or suspected BIA-ALCL.

Some people report fatigue, memory problems or joint pain they link to their implants, often called breast implant illness. Research has not established a cause. In a 2025 review about 8 in 10 people reported some improvement after removal, but not everyone improves. If you want your implants out, we remove them.

What is the operation like?

Exchange and removal are both done under general anaesthetic as day surgery, so you go home the same day. The operation takes 1 to 4 hours, depending on how much is done.

Most people take 1 to 2 weeks off a desk job and 4 to 6 weeks off physical work, and lift nothing over 5kg and avoid strenuous upper-body exercise for 6 weeks. We fit a post-surgical bra before you go home. After removal alone you wear it day and night for 4 weeks, then during the day until 6 weeks. After an exchange, as a guide, wear it day and night for the first 2 to 3 months, then during the day for up to about 6 months if you can. After an uplift, wear it day and night for 3 months, and longer if you find it comfortable.

Stop nicotine in any form (smoking, vaping, patches or gum) at least 4 weeks before surgery and stay off it for at least 4 weeks after. For an uplift this is a firm rule, and we do not operate on anyone still using it.

Who this is not for

We recommend a check for anyone whose implants are over 6 years old. Surgery may not be right for you, at least for now, if:

• your implants cause no symptoms, a scan shows nothing of concern, and their age is your only reason for an operation
• you expect new implants to last for life, which they will not
• you expect your breasts to look as they did before implants once they are removed
• you use nicotine in any form and cannot stop for 4 weeks before and after surgery

Waterfront is a self-pay hospital and does not treat patients through medical insurance.

What happens at the health check or consultation?

For a health check, wear something comfortable that is easy to take off. The surgeon who reviews your scan can also plan and carry out any surgery you go on to have. Call 0131 376 3785 to book a health check.

If you already know you want your implants replaced or removed, book a consultation. It is £200, face to face with the consultant plastic surgeon who would operate, and a second consultation before you decide is free. You can book online.

Every surgeon who does breast surgery at Waterfront is on the GMC Specialist Register for plastic surgery. If you are comparing clinics for a replacement, our guides to the letters after a surgeon’s name and the red flags to avoid explain what to check.

Questions patients ask

Do breast implants need replacing every 10 years? No. Many people have implants replaced or removed after about 10 to 15 years, but implants with no symptoms and nothing of concern on a scan do not always need to come out, even at 10 years. The decision depends on the type and age of the implants, any symptoms and what monitoring has shown.

How do I know if my breast implant has ruptured? You may not know. A silent rupture often causes no outward symptoms, and only a scan such as an ultrasound can confirm it. A rupture that causes symptoms may change the shape of the breast, make the two sides look different, or cause pain or swelling.

How often should breast implants be checked? There is no firm UK guidance. A reasonable approach is a first scan at about 6 years, then one every 2 years, and sooner if you notice any change. The FDA in the United States recommends a first scan at 5 to 6 years, then every 2 to 3 years.

How much does it cost to replace breast implants? At Waterfront an implant exchange is £6,800 at today’s prices, and new implants with an uplift cost from £11,800. An exchange can cost more if other work is needed, such as removing the scar capsule. Removal without replacement is £5,300, depending on complexity. The consultation is £200.

How much is a breast implant check? The ultrasound scan with a consultant breast radiologist is £400. The full health check, with a consultant plastic surgeon’s review on the same day, is £450. If the scan finds fluid, the sample and laboratory tests are priced separately.

Is ultrasound or MRI better for checking implants? MRI is the most sensitive test for a rupture. Ultrasound picks up silent ruptures, capsular contracture and fluid around the implant, uses no radiation and costs a fraction of an MRI scan.

Should textured implants be removed? UK health authorities do not recommend removing textured implants from people without symptoms. We strongly advise regular monitoring. See your doctor if you notice your breast getting bigger or swelling up, new lumps in your breast or armpit, changes in how your breast looks or feels, pain that won’t go away, or skin changes around your implant.

Can I have my implants removed and not replaced? Yes. Removal on its own is £5,300, depending on complexity. The breasts look smaller, flatter or looser, the shape settles over 3 to 6 months, and the breast can stay looser and emptier than before implants. Where there is sagging or loose skin, an uplift at the same time reshapes the breast, and removal with an uplift is £10,000.

Book a consultationBreast Implant Health Check at Waterfront

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