Diamonds Are Forever But Silicone Breast Implants Need To Be Replaced Every 10 Years

WASHINGTON (CBS) — The Food and Drug Administration has declared silicone breast implants are safe...but unlike diamonds, they are not forever.

New guidelines suggest women get their implants changed every ten years.

They say this will lessen the chance of rupture as well as lessen the chances of a woman's developing a rare form of cancer.

The new recommendations come after several long-term studies.

As Stacey Butler reported in the KCAL9 News at 10 p.m. Wednesday, most doctors advocate the new recommendations as common sense.

The devices were never intended to be life-long enhancements, she reported...even if some women did feel once in, they're in.

In 2010, more than 400,000 breast enlargement procedures were reported in the United States.

Silicone implants were banned for a while and fell out of favor in the early 90s when many women reported leaks or ruptures.

New manufacturing guidelines, and approval studies by satisfied customers, led to the re-emergence of the implants by 2006.