Silicone Implants Overview
Breast augmentation and reconstruction can be beneficial ways to help women gain or regain confidence, especially in the case of breast cancer survivors. Getting silicone implants is one of the options available for breast augmentation or reconstruction. Other options for breast reconstruction include surgery that takes fat tissue from another part of the patient's body and uses it to create a new breast.
Silicone implants have been highly debated over their safety and effectiveness. Due to concerns over their safety, silicone implants were denied approval by the FDA. However, the FDA did not ban the use of silicone implants. Instead, the FDA simple limited the use of silicone implants to women in need of breast reconstruction for a health need. Furthermore, women using silicone implants must be enrolled in a clinical study that is sponsored by the FDA and the manufacturer of the implant.
Breast implants have been around since the early 1960s. Silicone implants were developed because silicone offered much of the same appearance and feel of a real breast. The first silicone implants, however, were quite firm, so the outer shell was thinned to provide a more lifelike appearance. This resulted in frequent ruptures and leaks. The health risks of a silicone implant rupture are not entirely clear and are highly debated.
Capsular contracture was common among women with silicone implants that featured a thin shell. Studies show that 36-81% of silicone implants manufactured with a thin outer shell resulted in capsular contracture. Capsular contracture happens when scar tissue tightens around the implant and can cause the breast to become hard and abnormally shaped. Capsular contracture is not usually a cause for a ruptured implant, however. Common risks for silicone implants are the same risks that are present for all types of operations. Infections due to a foreign object being placed inside the body and anesthesia risks are present in silicone implant surgery. And, of course, there exists the risk that the patient will be disappointed with the outcome. This is especially true if the patient had unrealistic expectations to begin with or was having the surgery performed in order to please another person or the patient is not emotionally stable. Finding a suitable plastic surgeon is a vital part of the decision to get breast reconstruction or augmentation surgery. Knowing which type of surgery you are seeking is also important. Breast reconstruction surgery is for women who lost a breast due to breast cancer or other causes or have a breast defect. Breast augmentation surgery is for cosmetic purposes only. Be sure to discuss the benefits and risks of the different types of breast implants. Find out if you are eligible for silicone implants and if they are the best choice for you. Silicone implants feature a silicone outer shell, but the inner filling of the implants can vary. Some implants are filled with silicone, as well. Other silicone implants are filled with saline at the time of the operation. Talk to your plastic surgeon to determine which type is best for you.
| 