Breast Enhancement Risks

The after effects of breast implants, whether silicone or saline, can be significant, including such complications as post-operative bleeding (hematoma), fluid collections, skin infections, breast pain, loss of feeling in the nipples, wrinkling, and the thinning of the breast tissue. Breast implants are not made to last a lifetime. Therefore, deflated or ruptured implants are very strong possibilities. When saline breast implants rupture, they deflate rapidly and are removed easily.

However, when silicone implants rupture, the contents leak into the body, causing adverse reactions such as enlarged lymph glands. Some medical professionals believe that leakage of silicone gel into the human body is quite unhealthy, hard-to-remove, and dangerous, while others claim it presents no harmful effects.

A study by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) helped calm fears regarding the material used in silicone implants. It found no conclusive evidence linking silicone breast implants to connective tissue disorders or to the increased chances of developing breast cancer. Despite this, many remain skeptical regarding silicone implants.

Other long term risks of surgical breast implants include:

• Breast Feeding – Breast implants may interfere with breast feeding, however many women successfully breast feed with implants.
• Mammography – Implants could hide suspicious tumors or lesions. The breasts are compressed during mammograms, increasing the chance of rupture.
• Infection – If an infection occurs, it will usually appear within days or weeks of surgery.
• Bottoming Out – This occurs when the implant rides too low in the breast tissue and may cause the nipple to point upwards. Correction requires follow-up surgery.
• Symmastia – The breasts appear to be too close together. This condition can be resolved surgically and may require insertion of smaller implants.
• Rupture – As stated above, no implant will last forever. Many ruptures result from the natural aging, excessive compression, or trauma.

Most women choose to replace the ruptured implants. Women who have ruptured implants removed and chose not to replace them often experience dimpling or puckering of the breast.

Of all the possible side effects to breast surgery, loss of sensitivity is the most common. During the normal course of a woman’s lifetime, aging skin, thinning of the skin and decreasing breast size all contribute to changing breast sensitivity. Diseases such as breast cancer may also affect breast sensitivity as well. Breast surgery can accelerate sensitivity. Patients might expect some loss of sensation; however, in some cases, the nipple area may actually become more sensitive. These changes, when caused by surgery, are often temporary.

Breast sensitivity can change as a result of surgically changing the size of a woman’s breasts because nerve paths are affected. Surgical techniques that do not cut the nerves connecting to the nipple are less likely to affect sensitivity. Loss of sensation is less likely in breast reduction surgery since the procedure does not tend to undermine the breast tissue, preserving normal sensitivity. However, when inserting breast implants, surgeons must take special care to avoid certain nerves. Insertion of overly large implants, however, may stretch these nerves and adversely affect sensitivity.

Another side effect is capsular contraction. A normal reaction of the human body is to form a capsule around any foreign object. This occurs after all types of implant surgery including pacemakers, artificial bones, or joints. In some cases, however, the capsule closes or contracts around the implant. This can occur anytime within a few months after surgery. Capsular contraction, however, is not common. It compresses the breast implant, causing it to look distorted. In advanced cases, implants can feel hard and misshapen. The only way to treat capsular contraction is to remove or replace the implant.

Women who decide to have their breasts enlarged surgically are urged to discuss their options with a board-certified plastic surgeon. Because of the fourteen year ban on silicone implants, many surgeons have little or no silicone-implant experience. Therefore, patients should be aware of this and seek the advice of plastic surgeons with extensive and specific silicone breast implant experience. Selecting the right plastic surgeon, following pre- and postoperative instructions and setting realistic expectations can help avoid most if not all of the above mentioned complications.