Breast Augmentation Problems
Anyone considering breast augmentation surgery would be very wise to do some research around what some of the typical breast augmentation problems that they might encounter either during or after surgery. The good news is that the vast majority of women who undergo breast augmentation surgery encounter very few issues and report being extremely happy and satisfied with their implants for many years following surgery.
Your surgeon is the best resource for good information around any breast implant problems you may encounter but this article may give you some ideas or concerns you can bring up to him if you are considering surgery or give you some idea of what you may be facing if you have already had surgery.
Common Breast Augmentation Problems
Capsular Contracture: Just about any woman who undergoes implant surgery will have some degree of capsular contracture, it’s the amount and severity of it that can be problematic. CC is basically scar tissue that forms around the implant as your body heals and adjusts to foreign objects being inside. The capsule (scar tissue) can become too tight around the implant and create issues ranging from discomfort to extreme pain and deformity of the breast implant.
This issue can be severe enough that the implant will actually need to be removed and if you are suffereing from capsular contracture, it will not fix itself. The severity of the contracture may range from a mild inconvenience to a severe amount of pain and they tend to get more severe over time so you should consult your doctor immediately if you think you may be suffering from capsular contracture.
Implant Rupture: Breast implants are encased in a silicone outer layer that has the potential to rupture or tear. Typically if your implant ruptures then it is fairly obvious as you will suffer from a decent amount of deflation. The change in your breast appearance can happen almost immediately or it can take place slowly over time but if you do have a rupture then eventually your implant will change size dramatically. Saline implants will typically deflate almost instantly while silicone implants can take years to fully deflate.
Surgery will be required to replace or remove the implant as it cannot be repaired but most insurance companies will not pay for this procedure but most experts agree that a ruptured implant needs to be dealt with as soon as possible. Saline implants will not do much harm to your body as saline is a natural fluid but silicone implants are still being studied to determine the effect so consult your surgeon as soon as possible if you suspect that you might have a rupture.
Breast Implant Infection: Infection is a very real risk anytime surgery is involved so you need to make sure you follow your doctors instructions exactly post surgery. Breast implant infections will have many of the same symptoms that a normal infection will have including high fever, swelling, redness and severe pain. If left untreated, like any infection, the outcome can be as severe as the loss of your life so it’s nothing to mess around with, see your doctor immediately.
You can see in the image that this is a severe infection that has resulted in extreme swelling of the breast. If you suffer anything even remotely similar then do not hesitate and see your doctor immediately. While not guaranteed, most infections will rear their heads in the weeks just following your surgery while you are still recovering from the process but not always. Be vigilant and be aware and do not hesitate to see your surgeon if you think you might have an issue.
Breast Implant Ripples: This issue is much more common with saline breast implants although it can happen with silicone implants as well. The issue is more cosmetic than anything but it can be devastating as most women get their implants to improve the appearance of their breasts. Revision surgery will need to be completed in order to fix this issue if you do end up encountering this breast implant problem.
What causes this issue is attributed to the woman having a small amount of natural breast tissue to begin with or possibly having thinner skin than normal. It isn’t really a fault of the woman or the surgeon and is simply one of those things that may happen when it comes to implants. It is widely accepted that implants under the muscle will be less susceptible to rippling than those placed over the muscle but consult your doctor for more information.
Other Breast Augmentation Problems
Some of the issues above are what are considered localized augmentation problems that will be apparent in or around the breast implant but there are many studies and opinions out there concerning whether women with implants suffer from a higher rate of other diseases or issues. Opinions vary wildly and no conclusive evidence has been produced that shows women with implants have any higher rate of disease or malady than women without them with one exception.
A study by scientists from the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has concluded that women with leaking silicone gel implants are more likely to develop fibromyalgia or other painful diseases than women with breast implants that were not leaking. More details about this study and it’s results can be found here. Silicone breast implants are still currently authorized for use in the US by the FDA though but just understand the risks and as always, consult your doctor for any specific questions you might have.