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They may have cost a small fortune, but breast implants aren't designed to be permanent, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA released a report that reviewed recent studies on silicone gel-filled breast implants. The implants remain safe and effective when used as intended, the report says, but have risks that many women may not understand.

For example, the longer a woman has silicone gel-filled breast implants, the more likely she is to experience complications. One in 5 patients who received implants for breast augmentation will need them removed within 10 years of implantation. For patients who received implants for breast reconstruction, as many as 1 in 2 will require removal 10 years after implantation.

The agency says that complications patients with new implants experience today are similar to complications that existed when it approved silicone implants five years ago.

The most frequently observed complications and outcomes are hardening of the area around the implant, additional surgeries and implant removal.

So far studies haven't linked the implants to breast cancer, reproductive problems or connective tissue disease, the FDA report said, but more research is needed.

The FDA recommends that women with the implants follow up routinely with their health care team, keep in mind that the implants are not "lifetime devices" and pay attention to changes.

Get more information on the FDA's breast implant website.