There is no reason to be worried about the need to have regular mammograms after having breast implants placed.

Although many patients express concern about having mammograms after they have undergone breast augmentation, it is actually very unusual for an implant to be ruptured or damaged by mammography.

Breast implants are manufactured to be exceptionally sturdy. In fact, the implants placed within the last ten years, either silicone or saline, are likely to withstand impacts even as intense as those sustained in a motor vehicle accident without rupturing.

As a surgeon, I have not seen an implant that was placed within the last ten years rupture following a mammogram. And I have seen implants remain intact after serious car accidents as well as other injuries.

Breast implants are so common for women today that most mammogram technicians have become very adept at performing mammograms on women with implants. The technicians typically will do additional views when a woman has breast implants. This is to make sure that all the breast tissue is visualized well. (Remember whether the implant is over or under the muscle, all of the breast tissue is above the implant where it can be visualized.)

It is also important to note that, because the incidence of breast cancer is so high (more than one in ten women in America will develop breast cancer), it is critical that women with breast implants follow the guidelines for routine mammograms according to their risk factors and/or the recommendation of their personal physician regarding the timing and the frequency of mammograms.

If you have implants and are concerned about getting a mammogram, contact your plastic surgeon and ask for a recommendation regarding the local centers where mammograms are routinely performed on patients who have breast implants. He or she will be able to give you information regarding the reputation of mammogram centers in your area.