Dangers of Breast Implants

If you're considering having breast implants, it's sensible to read this article slowly and carefully, maybe you might think twice after reading. Almost every female is concerned with her looks, and that is obviously the reason some get implants. If breast implants gives every woman beautiful breasts for the rest of her life, that sounds like a good idea- isn't that so?

However, studies proved that these breasts can look natural at first, but later change and look and feel much less natural and less attractive in just a few months or years. We've heard different stories from celebrities who were embarrassed about their implanted breasts.

But the problem is that no one is talking about common and very real dangers and problems that go along with breast implants. According to Zuckerman, Anderson and Santoro from National Research Center for Women and Families in 2008, more than 300,000 women and teenagers underwent surgery to have their breasts enlarged with silicone or saline implants, and almost 80,000 breast cancer patients had reconstruction after mastectomy, often with implants.

The popularity of breast augmentation has more than tripled since 1997, when there were just over 101,000 of these procedures. More than 40,000 implant removal procedures were also reported in 2008. Given these statistics, it is not surprising that in spite of the increasing number of women with breast implants, debate continues to swirl about their safety. Hence we've researched and gathered the following risks and dangers of breast implants so that if you decide to carry on the surgery you'll be well informed.

Complications of Breast Surgery- Silicone and Saline Breast Implants include:

Infection- (bacteria and mold which can be released from the implant into the body). Infections are usually easy to treat, but doctors have reported that some women have gotten toxic shock syndrome from infections, and others have gotten gangrene.
Surgical risks- Surgical risks include infection and hematoma (blood collecting around an implant), both of which can range from mild to severe. Surgical risks are highest immediately around the time of surgery, but complications can require additional surgery later, which will have similar risks. A woman may need to face these surgical risks several times if she needs surgery to correct implant problems or has broken or damaged implants replaced with new ones.
Anesthesia risks- Excessive bleeding or a hematoma can occur, which may require drainage. It is important that you do not take any products containing aspirin, anti-inflammatories, blood thinners or vitamin E for 14 days prior to your operation as these medications can greatly increase the risk of bleeding.
Chronic breast pain- It is natural to feel pain of varying intensity and duration following breast augmentation. However, severe pain can be a result of complications of your surgery such as improper size or placement.
Breast or nipple numbness- Implant surgery can cause you to lose sensitivity in your breasts, especially in your nipples. Or your breasts can become so sensitive that it is painful to be touched. Either problem may dampen sexual intimacy.
Capsular contracture- This is when scar tissue forms around the implant (because it is a foreign body), and causes your breasts to become unnaturally hard, painful, have an unnatural shape, or become lopsided.
Scar tissue and hardened and misshapen breasts- If a silicone gel-filled breast implant leaks, local complications such as hardening or scarring of breast tissue may occur
Breakage and leakage- 90 percent of breast implants rupture within 20 years. Most of the implants leak chemicals into your body, even before they rupture. Ruptured and leaking implants trigger a whole host of auto-immune diseases, as well as cancer. If you have implants and have had a mammogram performed, there's a good chance that the pressure caused a leak or rupture.
Necrosis (skin death)- This can result when the pressure of the breast implant has caused the patient's breast tissue to thin and shrink
Dissatisfaction with how the breast looks- While the majority of breast augmentation patients have positive experiences with the outcome of the surgery, some are dissatisfied. The primary problems are wrinkling, asymmetry, implant displacement, the choice of an incorrect implant size, an unanticipated shape, implant palpability, scar deformity, hypertrophic scarring, and "sloshing."
Disfigurement- If rupture occurs; the size and shape of your breast may change. Occasionally, one or both of the breast implants shift below the fold where the breast meets the chest (inframammary crease), creating a line or indentation across the bottom of the breast. Complication can occur if the implants are too large or if they are poorly positioned.
Arthritis and joint pain- A study of 95 women who had silicone gel-filled breast implants and rheumatologic symptoms such as joint pain, found that the symptoms improved in 97% (42 of 43) of the women who had their breast implants removed
Fatigue- There may be a link between implants and some auto-immune diseases such as fibromyalgia (which causes muscle pain and severe fatigue). A study of Danish women who had breast implants for an average of 19 years found that they were significantly more likely to report fatigue,
Memory loss and cognitive impairment: poor concentration- Women with implants have raised concerns about memory loss, difficulties with concentration, and other cognitive problems.
Metal poisoning due to platinum exposure (in silicone implants)or silicone migration into lymph nodes and other organs
Debilitating auto-immune disease such as fibromyalgia,dermatomyositis, polymyositis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, mixed connective-tissue disease, pulmonary fibrosis, eosinophilic fasciitis, and polymyalgia.
And last but not least, death. A National Cancer Institute (NCI) study found that women who had breast implants for at least 12 years were more likely to die from brain tumors, lung cancer, other respiratory diseases, and suicide compared with other plastic surgery patients.

Financial Costs.

Breast implant surgery is not a one-time cost. On average, implants last 7-12 years, and each replacement adds to the cost. Even if the implant itself is replaced for free, or if the surgeon offers his or her services for free, the cost of the medical facility, anesthesiology, and other expenses can still cost many thousands for each surgery. These expenses are affordable for some women, but not for others, especially if the implant breaks after just a few months or years, or after a woman is divorced or loses her job. Normally, cosmetic surgery is not covered by health insurances or medical aid, and problems resulting from cosmetic surgery are also not covered.

Take Home Lesson One: There are serious life threatening and life altering short term and long term health, cosmetic and economic risks associated with breast implants.

Take Home Lesson Two: Consider loving the body Mother Nature gave you rather than playing Russian roulette with your health and your life.

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Page Created: 01 February 2012

by Zanele Matshotyana

Every effort is made to ensure that the information made available on this article is accurate and up to date. However, the City of Cape Town cannot guarantee the accuracy of such information, nor that this information is up to date.