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Breast Implant Check

Breast implant check assessing implant integrity and capsule using ultrasound and/or MRI. Recommended every 5–10 years or sooner if symptoms develop. CQC-regulated Baker Street facility. £600.

Breast Implant Check in London


A breast implant check is a clinical assessment of breast implant integrity and health, performed by a consultant plastic surgeon. It is appropriate for any patient with breast implants — whether or not they have current symptoms — and can be arranged at Centre for Surgery regardless of where the original surgery took place.

Breast implant checks at Centre for Surgery are available without a GP referral. A comprehensive assessment including clinical examination and high-resolution ultrasound scan costs £600. Where an MRI scan is clinically indicated, this is arranged at pre-operative assessment.

The check typically takes 45 minutes. Some assessments may take longer where a more detailed examination is needed.

Some breast implant symptoms require prompt attention. Contact us immediately if you experience:

These symptoms may indicate capsular contracture, implant rupture, seroma, infection, or — in the case of late-onset unilateral swelling with textured implants — BIA-ALCL, which requires urgent investigation.

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Why Have a Breast Implant Check?

Breast implant surgery carries specific risks — including capsular contracture, implant rupture, and implant malposition — that can develop months or years after surgery. If you develop pain, persistent swelling, lumps, or changes in the shape or feel of the breast, a clinical assessment is needed to establish the cause and determine the appropriate treatment.

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is a rare immune cell lymphoma associated with breast implants — primarily macro-textured implants. It most commonly presents as late-onset seroma (fluid accumulation around the implant), typically 8 or more years after implantation. When diagnosed early, BIA-ALCL is highly treatable by en bloc capsulectomy. If you have textured implants and develop new unilateral breast swelling, seek assessment promptly — do not wait.

is a term used by patients to describe a range of systemic symptoms — including fatigue, low mood, joint and muscle pain, palpitations, and others — that they attribute to their breast implants. The symptoms reported vary widely between patients. As of 2025, no validated diagnostic test for BII exists and the medical literature does not yet confirm a causal link between breast implants and specific autoimmune conditions. Centre for Surgery takes BII concerns seriously and takes time to discuss the available evidence and treatment options with patients.

For patients who are well-informed and wish to have their implants removed as a treatment option, breast implant removal is available and is a reasonable choice. Patients considering removal for BII should be fully informed of what the evidence does and does not support before proceeding.

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How Often Should Breast Implants Be Checked?

We recommend having breast implants checked every 3 years after surgery, ideally with imaging. After the first 10 years, 2-yearly imaging checks are appropriate to detect silent implant ruptures before they cause symptoms.

Modern fourth-generation cohesive silicone implants — including Silimed implants used at Centre for Surgery — maintain their shape even if the outer shell is compromised, because the gel is designed to remain substantially contained within the shell rather than migrating. This means a rupture may cause no obvious symptoms — hence “silent” rupture. Clinical examination alone cannot reliably detect a silent rupture; imaging is required.

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MRI is the gold standard investigation for silicone implant integrity assessment — it provides the most sensitive and specific assessment of the implant shell and can detect intracapsular or extracapsular rupture with high accuracy. We recommend MRI as the preferred imaging method for routine implant surveillance.

High-resolution ultrasound is a suitable alternative for patients who cannot undergo MRI (e.g. due to claustrophobia or other contraindications). Centre for Surgery offers in-house high-resolution ultrasound scanning — available as part of the £600 breast implant check. Ultrasound is almost as effective as MRI for detecting silicone implant rupture when performed by an experienced operator.

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Breast implants do not prevent routine mammographic screening and do not harm the implants during the procedure. Radiographers use the Eklund displacement technique to image more breast tissue around the implant. Always inform your mammographer that you have breast implants before screening. Routine NHS breast cancer screening (from age 50) continues as normal with breast implants in situ.

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Symptoms That Require Assessment

The following symptoms in a patient with breast implants should prompt a consultation with a consultant plastic surgeon. Do not ignore these symptoms — early diagnosis gives any treatment the highest chance of success.

Approximately 1 in 10 patients with breast implants will develop some degree of . Mild cases (Baker I–II) typically do not require treatment. More advanced cases (Baker III–IV) — where the breast feels firm, looks distorted, or causes pain — require surgical treatment: removal of the affected implant and surrounding capsule, with or without replacement. Early assessment prevents progression to more advanced grades.

New unilateral (one-sided) fluid accumulation around a breast implant appearing months or years after surgery is the most common presenting feature of . Most patients who present with this symptom do not have BIA-ALCL — the majority are due to benign causes. However, BIA-ALCL must be excluded promptly. Do not delay assessment if you notice new persistent swelling around one breast implant. En bloc capsulectomy is an effective curative treatment when BIA-ALCL is diagnosed early.

Changes in the shape of the breast — including asymmetry, a visible dent or deformity, implant descent (bottoming out), or an unusual ridge or edge — may indicate implant rupture, malposition, or double bubble deformity. Clinical assessment and imaging will establish the cause and appropriate management.

If you experience systemic symptoms you believe may be related to your breast implants — fatigue, joint pain, brain fog, skin rashes — these can be discussed at a breast implant check appointment. A thorough, non-judgemental consultation will review the available evidence and your treatment options.

What Does a Breast Implant Check Involve?

A breast implant check at Centre for Surgery is a comprehensive clinical appointment that may include some or all of the following, depending on your history and symptoms:

A thorough examination of the breasts — assessing implant position, capsule quality, skin changes, symmetry, and any specific symptoms you report. Your history (original surgery date, implant type and size, any previous complications or treatments) will be reviewed.

Included in the £600 breast implant check fee. Ultrasound assesses the integrity of the implant shell and detects fluid collections, capsule changes, and structural implant abnormalities. Centre for Surgery performs this in-house — no external referral required.

Where clinical examination or ultrasound findings suggest implant rupture or where MRI is clinically indicated, an MRI referral will be arranged at your appointment. MRI is the gold standard for silicone implant integrity assessment.

In selected cases — particularly where BIA-ALCL or BII is being assessed — blood tests may be requested as part of the workup.

Your surgeon will explain any findings, give you an honest assessment of the clinical situation, and discuss all available management options — from monitoring through to surgery if required. Where revision surgery is recommended, a full quotation will be provided.

The check appointment does not require a GP referral and is available to patients who had their original surgery at Centre for Surgery or elsewhere — including overseas.

Breast Implant Lifespan and Warranties

Breast implants are not lifetime devices — all implants will eventually need to be assessed and in most cases replaced. Modern cohesive silicone implants can last 10–20 years or more without problems in many patients, but the risk of complications increases with time.

After the first 10 years of implantation, the cumulative risk of structural changes to the outer shell increases. This is why we recommend that all patients with breast implants are reviewed by a surgeon within the first 10 years — even if they are asymptomatic and satisfied with their result.

Factors that affect how breast implants change over time: pregnancy and breastfeeding (alter breast volume and shape); significant weight change; natural skin ageing and loss of elasticity; physical trauma.

The Silimed implants used at Centre for Surgery carry a 10-year warranty covering capsular contracture and implant rupture. Where a covered complication occurs within the warranty period, the replacement implant cost is covered by the manufacturer. Revision surgery costs (surgeon fee, theatre, anaesthesia) are separate from the implant warranty.

If your original implants were placed elsewhere and carry a different manufacturer warranty, your surgeon will review the warranty terms at your check appointment and advise on what is covered.

Having regular breast implant checks allows any change in implant integrity or breast appearance to be identified early — before a complication progresses and requires more complex surgical correction. Early detection and treatment typically means simpler surgery, faster recovery, and better outcomes.

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Who Should Have a Breast Implant Check?

Breast implant checks are appropriate for any patient with breast implants. Specific indications include:

All patients with macro-textured implants should have regular surveillance given the association with BIA-ALCL — even if asymptomatic.

Routine 3-yearly checks are recommended for all patients with breast implants, regardless of symptoms. After 10 years, 2-yearly checks with imaging are appropriate.

Patients wishing to change the size, shape, or type of their implants, or to have them removed, can have this discussed at a breast implant check appointment.

A breast implant check at Centre for Surgery costs £600 and includes clinical assessment and in-house high-resolution ultrasound. No GP referral required. Call to book.

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Why Choose Centre for Surgery for Breast Implant Checks?

All breast implant checks at Centre for Surgery are performed by consultant plastic surgeons on the GMC Specialist Register — not aestheticians, nurses, or non-specialist practitioners. Where a check identifies an issue requiring surgery, the same surgical team can manage the full treatment pathway.

Ultrasound scanning is performed in-house at our Baker Street facility — no external referral needed. This allows assessment and reporting on the same day as the clinical consultation, rather than requiring a separate scan appointment.

We routinely perform breast implant checks for patients who had their original augmentation at another clinic — including those who had surgery overseas. You do not need to have been a Centre for Surgery patient to book a check.

Patients with concerns about BII symptoms or BIA-ALCL risk receive a thorough, non-judgemental assessment. We provide balanced, evidence-based information — including an honest account of what the evidence does and does not support — and discuss all appropriate options.

All appointments take place at our purpose-built private hospital at 95–97 Baker Street, Marylebone, independently inspected and rated “Good” by the Care Quality Commission.

Where a check identifies a complication requiring surgery — capsulectomy, implant revision, implant removal — the same team can manage the full treatment pathway at the same facility. No re-referral to another clinic.

Breast implant check: £600 — includes clinical assessment and in-house ultrasound scan. No GP referral required.


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