Plastic surgeons usually recommend removal of the implant if it has ruptured, even if the silicone is still enclosed within the scar tissue capsule, because the silicone gel may eventually leak into surrounding tissues. When saline-filled breast implants deflate, the saline solution leaks either through an unsealed or damaged valve or through a break in the implant shell. Implant deflation can occur immediately or progressively over a period of days and is noticed by loss of size or shape of the implant. Some implants deflate or rupture within the first few months after being implanted and some deflate after several years. Breast implants also wear out over time and may deflate.
Additional surgery is needed to remove deflated implants.
The expected cause was the leaf-valve design of the implant, which is no longer being used by manufacturers. Many women decide to have the implants replaced, but some women do not.