According to a study conducted in the United States,
Breast implants continue to be popular today. In the U.S., in 2009, approximately 290,000 women and young women underwent breast implant surgery for enlargement, and approximately 86,000 women underwent breast implant surgery for reconstruction after mastectomy (removal of breast tissue).
This summary provides information about the known and unknown risks of breast implants.
Role of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA):
Breast implants were first used in the 1960s, but the FDA did not have the authority to regulate them until 1976. The number of augmentations with implants progressed relatively slowly until the 1980s. By 1990, approximately one million women had breast implants. On October 23, 1992, the FDA allowed the use of silicone implants for breast reconstruction patients.
In January 2004, the FDA decided to approve silicone breast implants. Silicone gel breast implants produced by Allergan and Mentor, with the caveat "within reasonable safety limits," were approved by the FDA in November 2006 for women aged 22 or older.
Types of Breast Implants:
The 40-year history of silicone breast implants is filled with studies to reduce complications, especially common issues such as breast hardness and pain due to capsule contracture.
In addition to changes in silicone gel breast implants, manufacturers have tried to improve products by using materials other than silicone gel. Despite all these efforts, saline and silicone gel-filled implants have been accepted by plastic surgeons as safer alternatives.
Local Complications: Surgery-related risks include infection, hematoma (collection of blood or tissue fluid around an implant), and anesthesia-related risks.
Pain and Capsular Contracture:
All implants are "foreign bodies." A woman's body reacts to this foreign body (implants) by forming scar tissue, creating a capsule around it. This capsule is unfelt and asymptomatic in most patients. If it becomes a problem, it's called capsular contracture. Capsular contracture can lead to a misshapen appearance of the breasts and may cause mild discomfort or severe chronic pain.
Implant Rupture:
When you cut silicone gel breast implants, there may often be no symptoms, especially in cohesive ones.
Mammography:
Mammography is generally not preferred in women with breast implants because implant ruptures can occur during the compression process of mammography. Breast cancer detection can be done with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in these women. There is no evidence of any delay in diagnosis or a relationship between breast implants and breast cancer.
Breastfeeding:
There is not enough evidence to suggest that breastfeeding is harmful to the baby in women who have undergone augmentation.
Autoimmune and Connective Tissue Diseases:
The biggest debate about the risks of breast implants is whether there is an increased risk of autoimmune disease and connective tissue disease. In a study conducted by FDA scientists, there was a statistically significant link reported between implants and fibromyalgia, especially in patients with implant rupture that went unaddressed. There is not enough evidence for other connective tissue diseases.