Jana, a former two-time world champ in the 2003 and 2007 400 meter hurdles, only had the implants for 14 months before, in her own words, “I’m  back to being as flat as a pancake.”

Dancers are another group of athletes that feel large breasts only get in their way.

Other celebrities have opted to go through explant surgery, the procedure to remove or replace breast implants.

For instance, former Spice girl, Victoria Beckham, had her large implants downsized during the summer of 2009. Victoria has a tiny frame and her implants just did not compliment her body.

O.C. Real Housewife Tamara Barney found she was having back pains due to her large implants so she had them replaced with a smaller set which also proved to be a pain in the back. At one point, Tamara was thinking she would lose the implants altogether.

New York City Real Housewife Jill Zarin reduced her implants from a 32 G to a 32D.

Some women having explant surgery, the procedure to remove implants, opt to have a breast lift (or mastopexy) at the same time.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the average cost of implant removal in the U.S. is $2435. With 20,967 breast augmentation patients having explant surgery in 2008, about $51,044,485 was spent.

 (2008 is the most recent year for which statistics have been compiled. 2009 statistics will be released in March, 2010.)

The three most common reasons for breast implant removal include:

• A change in size or shape
• Implant leak
• Capsular contracture, a type of internal scarring that hardens the implant and breast

Other famous women who had their breast implants removed or had a considerable reduction in implant size include:

• Britney Spears
• Demi Moore
• Jenny McCartney
• Courtney Love
• Jenna Jameson
• MTV’s Kacey Long
• Denise Richards

(Read our previous post about how Denise Richards first got uncomfortably large breast implants, and then received even larger implants – due to bad communication with the plastic surgeon — before going just right for her size.)

But among the possible risks that rear its troublesome head from time to time, a small percentage of these breast enhancement patients will report back to their surgeons, fearing that the implant is leaking or has broken.

All breast augmentation patients should be told about a possible replacement some time during their lifetimes during the first consult with the plastic surgeon, along with any other risks involved in undergoing a breast augmentation procedure.

One major manufacturer of implants published several studies revealing the deflation rates of saline implants. Approximately 3% of implants will deflate 5 years after undergoing the breast enhancement procedure. Overall, saline implants are estimated to have a lifespan of 10 to 12 years. Nonetheless, there is no expiration date or when a breast implant must be removed or exchanged.

For saline-filled breast implants, a leakage would not pose a health risk because this type of implant is filled with salt water, which is easily absorbed by the body.

According to the ASAPS, there is no one good medical test to show if a saline breast implant is leaking.

But signs that may indicate leaking include”

• a change in breast shape
• the breast deflating, much like air being released from a balloon.
• pain and/or tenderness

In some instances a silent rupture can occur and there are no signs at all.

For silicone implants, an MRI may be required. Each patient is unique; some women do not respond to silicone at all, while yet others do.

The technique for removing old or leaking breast implants is a surgical specialty known as explantation.

Your surgeon should be board-certified in plastic surgery and able to show you many before and after pictures of explantation.

Fortunately, some of the newer breast implants come with a warranty which may help with the cost of replacement.