If you've had breast augmentation more than 10 years ago, be sure to ask your doctor about getting a breast MRI to check the stability of your implants. They don't last forever! Doctors recommend implants be replaced every 10 years. The problem is that implants can easily leak without your knowledge. And those leakages won't show up on your annual mammogram.
My friend Liz, who just had her mastectomy last week, found out after the operation that her previous implants (she'd had them 24 years!) had been leaking a long time and had created quite a mess. Thankfully, the discovery of breast cancer had led her to the mastectomy stage and the old implants had to be removed anyway, but her doctors said it was a sorry sight. She's thinking now that the cancer may have been a signal that the implants had gone awry and were polluting her system. So perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, she said.
Whatever the case, it's a warning sign to all women out there who had breast augmentation years ago. Be sure you're getting checked with breast MRIs. Your regular mammograms won't decipher problems with the implants.
And for those of you who've gone through breast reconstruction due to cancer, be sure you keep a close eye on your implants. You won't be having mammograms anymore, so your annual MRIs should uncover any issues.
Seems we women must always be on our guard. So please heed this message if you've had implants in for more than 10 years!
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