Expertly WRITTEN By
Dr. Rocco Piazza, MD, FACS
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon & Austin's Breast and Body Specialist.
The Case at a Glance
Patient: Woman, Age 70
Desired Goal: Lifted, fuller breasts and better cleavage, staying a D cup
Implant: Allergan Natrelle Inspira® SoftTouch, Full Profile (replacing 30-year-old saline)
Size: 485cc
Technique: Saline-to-silicone implant exchange, breast lift and complete capsulectomy
Recovery: Back to desk work in about 1 week, full activity by about 6 weeks
Revision Note: Removing the entire scar capsule that had formed around her original implants over three decades let us start the new implants in a fresh pocket, rather than placing them into old tissue.
Yes, you can replace old saline implants with silicone and keep the same cup size. This 70-year-old patient had her nearly 30-year-old saline implants exchanged for 485cc Natrelle Inspira silicone implants, with a breast lift and a complete capsulectomy in the same surgery. She stayed a D cup, with a higher, fuller shape and better cleavage.
Her implants had served her for almost three decades. What changed was everything around them. Over time her breasts had dropped and lost their shape, and she wanted them to look the way they used to, without going bigger or smaller.
Do Breast Implants Need to Be Replaced After 30 Years?
Breast implants are not lifetime devices. There is no fixed expiration date, and an implant that is intact and causing no problems does not have to come out on a schedule. But the breast changes with age, weight shifts and gravity, and the implant pocket changes too. After decades, many women come in not because something is wrong with the implant, but because they no longer like how the breast sits.
That was her reason. Her goal was a refresh: modern implants, a lifted position and the same D-cup fullness she was used to. If you are weighing a similar decision, our page on breast augmentation revision in Austin covers the most common reasons patients come back.
Saline to Silicone: Why Switch?
Saline implants are filled with salt water. Modern silicone implants are filled with a cohesive gel that many patients find feels closer to natural breast tissue, especially in women with thinner tissue coverage, which is common later in life.
For her new implants, Dr. Piazza chose the Allergan Natrelle Inspira® SoftTouch in a full profile. At 485cc, the size was chosen to keep her at a D cup rather than to change her size. You can compare implant styles in our guide to breast implant options in Austin.
What Is a Complete Capsulectomy?
Every breast implant is surrounded by a thin layer of scar tissue the body forms on its own, called a capsule. After 30 years, that capsule is mature tissue that has been shaped by the old implant.
In a complete capsulectomy, the surgeon removes the entire capsule rather than leaving it in place. For this patient, Dr. Piazza removed the full capsule on both sides, so the new silicone implants could sit in a fresh pocket shaped for their new position.
Why She Also Needed a Lift
An implant exchange alone would have replaced the implants, but it would not have lifted her breasts. As breast tissue descends with age, the nipple and breast can sit low on the implant. A breast lift removes stretched skin and raises the nipple and breast tissue back to a youthful position. Combined with the exchange, it gave her the lifted shape and cleavage she asked for. Her surgery took about four and a half hours.
Clinical Results: Before and After
Tap any image below to reveal this patient's actual result. See the full gallery case here.
"She loved her size. She just wanted it to look young again. Taking out the old implants and the old capsule, then lifting the breast, let us keep her D cup and give her back her shape." — Dr. Rocco Piazza
Is 70 Too Old for Breast Revision Surgery?
Age alone is not the deciding factor. Overall health, medical clearance and clear goals matter more. Many women who had implants placed decades ago are now in their 60s and 70s, and a revision can be planned around their health and what they want to change. You can read another long-term revision story in our breast implant exchange after 20 years case.
Saline to Silicone Exchange FAQ
Can I switch from saline to silicone implants and keep the same size?
Yes. The new implant size is chosen around the cup size and shape you want. This patient replaced her saline implants with 485cc silicone implants and stayed a D cup.
Do saline implants need to be replaced after 30 years?
Not automatically. Implants are not lifetime devices, but intact implants with no problems do not have to be removed on a schedule. Many patients choose an exchange because the breast has changed shape over time.
What is a capsulectomy, and do I need one?
A capsulectomy removes the scar-tissue capsule that forms around every implant. Whether all, part or none of the capsule is removed is decided by your surgeon based on your exam and goals.
Can a breast lift be done during an implant exchange?
Yes. A lift is often combined with an exchange when the breast and nipple have dropped. In this case the exchange, lift and capsulectomy were done in one surgery of about four and a half hours.
How long is recovery after an implant exchange with a lift?
Most patients return to desk work in about a week and to full activity, including lifting and exercise, by about six weeks. A supportive surgical bra is worn during early healing.
Individual results vary. Photographs are of an actual patient of The Piazza Center, published with consent. This article is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult a board-certified plastic surgeon to discuss your individual situation.
Ready to Refresh Older Implants?
Dr. Rocco Piazza plans every breast revision around the size you love and the shape you want back.
Dr. Rocco Piazza II
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
Dr. Piazza is a board-certified plastic surgeon practicing in Austin, TX. He specializes in aesthetic and reconstructive surgery with a focus on natural results.
