Breast implants are like any other cosmetic procedure in that they come with risks. Your surgeon will discuss these with you along with the benefits and carefully guide you through the decision-making process. Before you give the final nod, learn about these five health factors.
1. Impact on breastfeeding
Many women with implants can breastfeed successfully, but some may experience decreased milk production. When implants are placed directly against the breast tissue, pressure may increase crowd the milk ducts, causing you to produce less and disrupting its free flow during feeding. Since the baby is not getting enough, you may need to consider formula. Implants inserted behind the pectoral muscle are less likely to cause this.
Although this is not common, there is another complication that occurs with: at least 1% of patients are changes in breast and nipple sensations. Sensitivity in these areas will increase or decrease, affecting breastfeeding and sexual response.
2. Breast examination
Breast implants can also affect your screening tests. They can interfere with MRIs, ultrasounds, and mammograms women between 45 and 54 years old should do annually to monitor their health.
Breast images are usually taken from two angles to determine your risk of breast cancer. However, people with implants are required to take additional photos to obtain accurate mammogram results. Silicon is radiopaque, meaning it blocks radiation rather than transmitting it, resulting in distortions that can be misinterpreted. The additional recordings give the radiologist a better view of any abnormalities.
3. Revision of the implant
The speed of implant revision remains no less than 36% — an important factor to consider before surgery. Common causes include implant malposition, ptosis or drooping of the aging breast, and capsular contracture – a complication caused by the body’s overreaction to the silica- or salt-containing material. Discomfort associated with breast implants indicates a number of problems that will ultimately require reoperation.
4. Breast Implant Disease (BII)
BII is a term that describes the range of autoimmune symptoms that you may experience after surgery. If you experience any of these symptoms after surgery, your risk is high:
- Joint pain
- Memory and concentration problems
- Fatigue
- Breathing problems
- Sleep disorder
- Hair loss
- Headache
- Depression
The signs of BII vary from person to person, so you may have milder and fewer symptoms than others.
BII is not an officially diagnosed condition and experts do not fully understand what causes it. Others assume it is an inflammatory or autoimmune reaction to the implants. One thing is certain: they affect people who have undergone breast reconstruction or augmentation using saline or gel-filled material, and whether they are ruptured or intact. In most cases, removing the implants can improve BII symptoms.
5. Long-term health consequences
Many people who have undergone cosmetic surgery report improvements in their quality of life, self-confidence and self-esteem – an encouraging result. However, the downside links breast implants to autoimmune diseasesas:
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sjogren’s syndrome
- Systemic sclerosis
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Raynaud’s syndrome
Surgery to remove the implant improved symptoms in more than 50% of patients, leading experts to believe the strong link between implants and autoimmune diseases. They suspected that bacterial biofilm or the microorganisms that adhere to the surface of the implants and host-pathogen interactions play a role in the development of these diseases.
Breast implants have health considerations
Many people who have had breast implants are satisfied with the results and increase their quality of life. While they can certainly boost your self-esteem and make you happier, you should also consider the potential long-term health risks. Know what to expect by researching your surgeon and asking about possible surgical outcomes.
