Dangers of Breast Implants

Much like any other surgical procedure, breast augmentation is full of risk of complications that can be caused by a number of factors. Although breast augmentation is considered one of the safest plastic surgery techniques, it is important to examine some of the potential complications that can result from this surgery. An examination of the possible dangers of breast implants includes:

• Deflation/Rupture:
  The most common concern for patients that have undergone breast augmentation is that their breast implants would deflate either through a leak within the implant or through a rupture of the implant shell. There are many potential causes for deflation/rupture and the solution to this problem involves additional surgery to remove and possibly replace the breast implant.
• Capsular Contracture:
  In this situation, capsule (scar tissue) that typically forms around the breast implant tightens and then squeeze the breast implant. Typically following infection, symptoms of capsular contracture range from mild firmness and discomfort to severe pain and movement of the breast implant. To rectify this, additional surgery will be needed to remove the breast implant capsule tissue and possibly the breast implant itself.
• Hermatoma/Seroma:
  The collection of blood inside a blood tissue is known as hermatoma and seroma refers to a collection of the watery portion of the blood. Postoperative hermatoma and seroma may lead to infection and possibly capsular contracture. If large hermatomas and seromas occur, the patient will need to have surgical drains for proper healing.
• Change in Nipple and Breast Sensation:
  Considering the great changes that you are making to your breasts, you should expect either an increase or decrease in feeling of the nipple and breast. Change can range from intense sensitivity to no feeling and can be temporary or permanent.
• 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. If you are feeling severe pain, you should contact your plastic surgeon.
• Infection:
  Like any other surgery, infection can result during breast augmentation. However, treating infections are harder in patients with breast implants than in patients with normal body tissues.
• Breast Tissue Atrophy/Chest Wall Deformity:
  This can result when the pressure of the breast implant has caused the patient's breast tissue to thin and shrink. This phenomenon can occur while the breast implants are in place or following breast implant removal.
• Additional Surgeries:
  The likelihood that a breast augmentation patient will have to undergo additional surgeries in their lifetime has increased dramatically. Surgeries will be necessary at some point to replace or remove the breast implant.
• Dissatisfaction with Cosmetic Results:
  This is a problem faced by any time of cosmetic surgery. Wrinkling, asymmetry, implant displacement, incorrect size, unanticipated shape, implant palpability, scar deformity, hypertrophic scarring, and sloshing are some of the phenomena that can occur, which often leave patients unsatisfied with their final results.