BREAST IMPLANTS - Risks and Side Effects

BREAST IMPLANTS & Risks

There are many breast implants’ risk factors that are important to consider before making final decision concerning breast implants. Breast implant risk factors can be greatly reduced if the procedure was done by highly qualified experts. Unfortunately, some breast implant risk factors are present irrespective of the surgeon's skill or degree of care. Some breast implant risks are inherent to the surgical procedure itself, others are a result of surgical error, and still other breast implant risk factors relate to the nature of implants.

Breast Implants risks during implantation (related to the surgical procedure):

anesthesia reaction, infection, excess bruising or bleeding, hematoma, seroma, granulomas.

Breast Implants risks due to breast implants (due to the nature of the implants themselves):

• breast asymmetry,
• chest wall deformity,
• malpositioning,
• loss of natural breast tissue,
• unacceptable dimpling, puckering, wrinkling;
• implant visibility.

These breast implant risk factors can be greater for patients who seek an extreme enhancement of their breast size, or those whose bodies react unfavorably to breast surgery.

Long-term Breast Implants risks  

Long-term Breast Implants risk factors are primarily local complications related to the implants. Capsular contracture is one such breast implant risk. The scar tissue that normally forms around the implant can squeeze the implant, causing it to rupture. Rupture and deflation are other serious breast implant risks that can require additional corrective, replacement, or removal surgery.

BREAST IMPLANTS & Side Effects

Settling
Breast implants, especially when placed sub-muscular; require several weeks or even months after the breast augmentation surgery to settle into their permanent position.

Swelling
The combination of increased volume from the breast implant and swelling from surgery may cause breasts to feel large, heavy, and tight.

Bruising
Depending on the size of the breast implant and the way it was placed during surgery, some mild bruising may occur.

Nipple Sensation
It is not uncommon after breast augmentation surgery for the nipples to become either very sensitive or numb. This change in sensation is due to disturbance of the nerve pathways during the surgery and is usually temporary.

Pain
The pain experienced after breast augmentation surgery is most often described as mild to moderate. Pain will diminish rapidly during the first few days after surgery and continue to improve as the skin and muscles stretch to accommodate the implants.

Itching
Breast augmentation surgery causes a lot of stretching of the skin. While the stretched out skin grows to accommodate the new volume of the breasts, it tends to itch quite a bit.

Scars
There is no way to prevent this. The best way to minimize the appearance of the scar is to have it placed in an inconspicuous location and allow your incision to heal properly by avoiding infection, stretching, or trauma to the incision site.

Infection
Infection is caused by the introduction of bacteria into the body through the incision. Signs of an infection include redness, localized swelling, warmth, and tenderness. Fever may also be present, but not in all cases.

Mammography
There is a risk that breast implants may impede breast cancer detection. During mammography, X-ray, or ultrasound the implants could hide suspicious tumors or lesions.

Capsular Contracture
Capsular contracture occurs when scar tissue forms a capsule that compresses the implant, causing it to become hard and misshapen. This can occur any time after breast implants surgery.

Double Bubble
Occasionally, one or both of the breast implants shifts below the fold where the breast meets the chest, creating a line or indentation across the bottom of the breast. This double bubble breast augmentation complication can occur if the implants are too large or if they are poorly positioned, among other reasons.

Leaking or Leaching of Breast Implant Material
There have been studies of possible harmful effects of breast implants materials leaking or leaching into the surrounding breast tissue.

Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma
Breast implants may increase a woman’s risk for anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), a rare lymphoma (blood cancer) that affects white blood cells called T cells. ALCL may occur in the capsule of scar tissue that forms around the implant.