Breast implants are FDA-approved, and overall, they’re considered safe. In fact, studies are constantly underway to ensure the ongoing safety aspects of implants and see are some breast implants safer than others.
This is all in an effort to keep breast augmentation a safe, effective, and positive experience for patients who have the procedure. These measures help ensure that breast implant recipients have as few health issues as possible.
On the other hand, like any surgical technique, breast augmentation has its risks. And in the past, some types of implants have been under the microscope — and off the shelves — for a suspected connection to serious health issues.
Which breast implant options should you choose? Are all breast implants safe, or are some breast plants safer than others?
Today we discuss how to make a safe choice when you’re having breast augmentation.
What Is Breast Augmentation?
Breast augmentation is the medical term for enlarging the breasts. Usually, this is done with breast implants.
Sometimes fat transfer is used instead. This is a less-utilized technique, as it yields more subtle results. With the fat transfer method, fat is removed via liposuction from one part of the body, purified, and injected into the breasts.
The breast implant technique is different (and preferred by most breast enhancement patients). Implants of either silicone or a material that holds saline are placed in a pocket created by the surgeon. The pocket is placed either over or under the chest wall muscle.
The Two Basic Types of Breast Implants
FDA-approved implants come in two types: silicone and saline.
Saline implants are placed in the pocket created by your plastic surgeon, then are injected with saline to enlarge them to the preferred size.
Silicone implants do not require saline. They may look and feel more natural than saline, as the latter type can be hard or stiff due to being filled with liquid.
More patients choose silicone implants than saline. However, it is silicone that has had a rough road on the way to becoming a medically approved option that’s considered safe for most patients.
Silicone: Recognized as Safe Today
Silicone breast implants are made of cohesive silicone gel. This gives the implants a natural look and feel that can be customized size-wise to the patient’s preference.
In the 1980s and especially the 1990s, silicone breast implants came under fire for a potential link to serious health issues, including a rare type of breast cancer. As a result, silicone implants were taken off the market for nearly a decade and a half.
However, it was determined that the issue pointed primarily to what was being injected into the implants. Some were found to contain industrial-grade, rather than medical, silicone.
When this discovery was made, silicone implants came back onto the market. Nearly 20 years after the series of lawsuits, the medical community now agrees that silicone is generally safe.
In fact, silicone implants are chosen significantly more often than saline. The FDA continues to monitor these and any types of bodily implants for safety
So … What Are the Risks?
You should be aware that despite their being safe most of the time, there is a degree of risk to having breast implants. These reactions are comparatively rare, but either silicone or saline implants may cause:
- Rupture of the implant and leaking of the filler into the body (this is not as much of an issue with saline, which is natural to the human body)
- Capsular contracture (a formation of hard, tight tissue around the implant)
- Shifting/movement of the implants
- Infection
- Changes in the nipple, which are usually temporary
Some women may be sensitive to silicone. Additional risks for a smaller portion of the population receiving silicone breast implants may include:
- Leakage of silicone into the body, which can be life-threatening
- A specific type of breast cancer called large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL)
- Possible stimulation of an autoimmune episode
Talk With Your Surgeon
The type of breast implants you receive is ultimately up to you. Breast augmentation patients choose breast implants for their own personal reasons.
For example, while more women choose the natural feel and look of silicone implants, women who want a very dramatic look may opt for saline instead.
If you have a current health issue or have had one in the past, tell your doctor. Some issues can mean you are better off with one type of implant over another. For example, those with an autoimmune issue may not react as well to one or the other type of implant.
The more open you are about your goals and your concerns, the better able your plastic surgeon will be to guide you to the perfect breast implant for you.
