ARE BREAST IMPLANTS SAFE?
There’s been a lot of media coverage recently about breast augmentation surgery, and whether or not it’s safe. If you wish you had larger, fuller breasts, you may be a good candidate for breast augmentation – but I understand if you’re worried or confused about it, considering all the conflicting information out there. Typically, breast augmentation involves the use of silicone or saline breast implants to enhance your breasts. But, is this procedure safe? Below, I discuss how breast augmentation using implants works and whether or not it’s safe.
*Individual results may vary*
HOW BREAST AUGMENTATION WORKS
Depending on your unique situation, we use saline or smooth (never textured) silicone implants at Brown Plastic Surgery. While saline implants contain a silicone shell and are filled with sterile saltwater, silicone implants come prefilled with a cohesive silicone gel. If you’d like a more natural feel and have minimal tissue, I’ll likely recommend smooth silicone implants.
Regardless of which type of implants I use, I’ll place them underneath the pectoralis muscle, and more rarely on top. This is a decision that we’ll make together during one of your pre-operative appointments. We’ll also agree on your ideal look prior to your surgery. Once I’ve properly placed your implants utilizing a no touch technique with a sterile funnel, I’ll use sutures to close the incision and place dressings to assist with healing. It usually takes me about an hour to complete this surgery under general anesthesia.
You’ll notice your breast implants settle over time and leave you with a beautiful, natural shape. It typically takes about three months for you to enjoy the complete results of breast augmentation surgery.
BREAST IMPLANT
CONSULTATIONS AVAILABLE
SALINE AND SILICONE IMPLANTS ARE SAFE
Both saline and silicone implants are considered safe when they are placed by a highly skilled and experienced surgeon. You may be wondering what happens if an implant ruptures. The answer is: it depends on the type of implant. If a saline implant ruptures, it will deflate and allow your body to absorb the solution without any health risks.
In the event a silicone implant ruptures, I’ll likely encourage you to get it removed as it can lead to issues like breast pain, breast thickening, or alterations in the shape or contour of your breast. If you’d like a new implant, I’ll be able to safely place one.
Fortunately, leaking silicone gel has not been shown in any studies to cause serious health complications like arthritis, breast cancer, or reproductive challenges. That being said, I recognize that some women feel that their breast implants have caused these and other health issues. Collectively, this phenomenon is known as Breast Implant Illness (Bii). While there are no proven correlations, my position on breast implant illness is that there is a possibility that breast implants could cause adverse reactions in a small population of women. We do not have a test to select who may be at risk. Bii is not a diagnosis recognized at this time by the American Medical Association. There is no medical code for this. Over 50 million women have implants and there are about 100,000 who claim to have Bii. The odds are in your favor that you will be just fine, but it warrants a discussion at the consultation. As a board certified plastic surgeon, I examine all of the data and studies regularly, and the data shows that breast implants are in fact safe. I would never intentionally use a device if I knew it would cause you harm.
“Dr. Brown is absolutely amazing! The results of my plastic surgery by far surpassed my expectations. I went to Dr. Brown for breast implants. He helped me pick the ideal size for my body and guided me in every step of the way. He is accessible and answers my questions quickly, even months after the surgery.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
If you’re wondering if you’re a good candidate for an arm lift or how much it may cost you, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Brown of Brown Plastic Surgery in Scottsdale, Arizona today. You can count on him to help you make an informed decision. Call us at +1 480-947-2455 or fill out our convenient online contact form.
