Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. ", WebMD Medical Reference: "Breast Enlargement" and "Breast Augmentation." © 2021 Breastcancer.org - All rights reserved. Silicone gel breast implants are filled with silicone gel. More intense complications include capsular contracture, temporary loss of sensation of the nipple, implant rupture and infection. Implant removal and/or replacement due to leakage or rupture; Implant removal; Deflated breasts (from saline implant rupture) Less common complications and side effects include: ... most commonly from a fold,” she explains. Make sure that you understand the risks of breast implants. Crerand, C. Plastic Surgical Nursing, July-September 2007.  Some studies have found associations between breast implants and certain health conditions. Most breast implants contain either silicone gel or saline solution. However, experts generally don't think that the breast implants are the cause of these problems. The risks are low but include scarring, infection, implant leakage or rupture… October 2019, FDA released a statement on enhancing breast implant labeling recommendations including: a black box warning, patient-decision checklist, product ingredient information including types and quantities of chemicals and heavy metals, silicone gel-filled breast implant rupture screening recommendations, and updated patient device card. This product's label may have been revised after this insert was printed. In 2006, after reviewing research and finding no connection between silicone gel implants and disease, the FDA approved the sale of certain silicone gel breast implants. If you have a silicone implant that has leaked beyond the capsule, your plastic surgeon will remove the silicone that has leaked out. Disturbingly, several studies have found an increased risk of alcoholism, drug abuse, and suicide in women with breast implants. Rupture isn't the only problem that requires surgery. However, the leak may cause a lot of harm before you notice. Breast implants may permanently alter your breast tissue. Learn more about our commitment to providing complete, accurate, and private breast cancer information. When a saline or silicone gel-filled implant has ruptured, the implant should be surgically removed. If these implants rupture, they tend to get a tear in the shell (also known as a “gel fracture”), which can compromise the shape and appearance of the implant. 3, Hagerstown, MD 21742; phone 800-638-3030; fax 301-223-2400. Breast implants can also interfere with the accuracy of mammograms that screen for breast cancer. Deciding whether or not to get breast implants -- either for reconstruction or augmentation -- is not easy. Saline implants are filled with saline or sterile saltwater. They may prevent a woman from producing milk. In general, rupture becomes more likely as breast implants age. By clicking Subscribe, I agree to the WebMD, Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes, Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats, Coronavirus in Context: Interviews With Experts, Sign Up to Receive Our Free Coroanvirus Newsletter, Breast Implants (Breast Augmentation) Home, Breast Implants: Types, Cost, Problems, and Recovery, What They Don’t Tell You About Breast Implants, Facts About Breast Implants and Health Insurance, Breast Implants: Questions to Ask Your Doctor, Breast Implants (Breast Augmentation) Topics. The more you know, the more confident you'll feel in your decision. Breastcancer.org is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information and community to those touched by this disease. In some cases, your plastic surgeon will also remove the capsule of scar tissue surrounding the implant or just cut open the capsule by making small incisions. Usually if you’ve decided that you want new implants, your surgeon can insert them during the same surgery. Breast implant illness (BII) is a term that some women and doctors use to refer to a wide range... Last modified on October 29, 2020 at 11:55 AM. Your body may react to the silicone by forming more scar tissue, which might be uncomfortable or cause a distorted breast shape. If you’re concerned, discuss the issue with your doctor. Other issues. Plast Reconstr Surg. Handel N, et al. Because of shell rupture and silicone leakage, manufacturers created a variety of “improvements.” The covering of the silicone-gel sac was modified numerous times over the decades. Available at. x We present the first case series of patients with no systemic neurologic disease who experienced a spontaneous conversion from an initial exotropia to a sensory esotropia in the absence of strabismus surgery or chemodenervation. However, the risk of complications is actually higher. Very rarely, the mammogram process can rupture an implant. An MRI (with equipment designed specifically for imaging the breast) is widely considered the most accurate imaging test for this purpose. Other side effects of BOTOX ... Key complications are reoperation, implant removal with or without replacement, implant rupture with silicone-filled implants, implant deflation with saline-filled implants, and severe capsular contracture (severe scar tissue around the implant). Rupture can also cause capsular contracture. When a saline implant ruptures or its valve fails, the saline leaks out quickly — typically over the course of a few days — and the breast appears somewhat deflated, so you know immediately that it's ruptured. Some women have surgical infections, bleeding, and swelling. Like any surgery, getting breast implants poses risks. The need for further surgeries. Here are some of the breast implant safety issues that you need to consider. Rupture of a silicone-filled breast implant is most often silent and may not be detected by you or your doctor. Gummy bear breast implants have both a silicone … There are a lot of things you have to weigh. A lower risk of complication is rupture. A saline implant also has a valve that can fail, causing a leak. Special Report: COVID-19’s Impact on Breast Cancer Care, Talking to Your Family and Friends About Breast Cancer, Fertility and Pregnancy Issues During and After Breast Cancer, Understanding Breast Cancer Risk and How to Lower It, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24165596, Tamoxifen (Brand Names: Nolvadex, Soltamox), Infection After Breast Implant Reconstruction, Necrosis of the Breast Skin Related to Mastectomy, Hernia After TRAM Flap or DIEP Flap Reconstruction, Pictures of Corrective Breast Reconstruction, our commitment to providing complete, accurate, and private breast cancer information. Keep in mind that studies show that most of the 300,000 women who get breast implants each year are satisfied with them. Some silicone gel might leak into the soft tissue pocket around the implant and rest there. Breast implants can cause a loss of sensation in the breast and nipple, as well as pain. There's no definitive answer. The health consequences of a ruptured silicone gel breast implant have not been fully established. Holmich, L. Archives of Surgery, July 2003.  Fryzek, J. The chance that your implant will rupture or leak increases over time. There are two general types of breast implants available in the U.S. -- saline and silicone gel. The liquid silicone gel can spread to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes or the lungs. If you get breast implants and want to maintain your breast size and shape for the rest of your life, you should be prepared to have a number of additional surgeries. Learn more about autologous reconstruction. If you have implants in both breasts, your plastic surgeon will in most cases remove both of them, even if only one has ruptured. WebMD Medical News: "Breast Implant/Suicide Link Confirmed" and "Silicone Breast Implants Get FDA Nod. The most commonly performed cosmetic surgery procedure in the United States, breast enhancement can increase your natural size and correct sagging and volume loss associated with age, weight loss, pregnancy, or breastfeeding.