Breast augmentation (or enlargement) aims at making the breasts larger and fuller for women with small breasts or those who have experienced a decrease in breast size or shape due to pregnancy or weight loss. Implanted breasts, however, tend to be a bit more round and less saggy than natural breasts of the same size, and do not usually look or feel completely "natural".
Some women with silicone breast implants have reported symptoms similar to certain types of diseases that affect the bodys immune system (autoimmune disorders). Presently, research has not found any clear link between silicone breast implants and autoimmune disorders or connective tissue disorders. Studies are ongoing investigating any possible link. Other possible complications of breast augmentation include deflation of the implant, asymmetry between the breasts, infection and bleeding. If a saline implant breaks or deflates the saline (salt water) is resorbed by your body with no adverse effect. Capsular contraction in which the tissue surrounding the implant contracts can result in hard or distorted appearing breasts. However, the incidence of capsular contraction is low especially with saline implants.
As with all cosmetic surgery, there is always a possibility of complications following including infection, a reaction to the anesthesia, hematoma, seroma, nerve damage and the occurrence of asymmetries or irregularities. Should infection occur, your surgeon will prescribe a treatment with antibiotics.
Breast augmentation with implants have been the topic of tremendous debate over the past few years. If you are considering this surgery, you should talk to your doctor about the potential side effects and keep up to date with the FDA ongoing surveillance of the safety of implants.
The FDA states that “recently published reports show that breast augmentation patients with silicone gel-filled breast implants do not have a greatly increased risk of some well-defined autoimmune diseases, which were among the serious health concerns surrounding the devices. These include potentially fatal connective tissue diseases such as scleroderma and lupus erythematosus. The new studies do not, however, rule out the possibility that a subset of women with implants may have a small increased risk of these conditions, or that some women might develop other immune-related symptoms that dont conform to "classic" disease descriptions. There are other important safety questions that surround breast implants as well, “including implant rupture rates and the incidence of capsular contracture (shrinking of scar tissue around the implant, which can cause painful hardening of the breast or distort its appearance).
The FDA has listed the following as potential side effects of saline breast implants:
Surgical Risks
All surgery carries risks. These are some of the potential risks in breast augmentation surgery:
•possible complications of general anesthesia, as well as nausea, vomiting and fever
•infection
•hematoma (collection of blood that may cause swelling, pain and bruising, perhaps requiring surgical draining)
•hemorrhage (abnormal bleeding)
•thrombosis (abnormal clotting)
•skin necrosisskin tissue death resulting from insufficient blood flow to the skin. Radiation treatments, cortisone-like drugs, an implant too large for the available space, or smoking may increase the chance of skin necrosis.
Implant Risks
•capsular contracture (hardening of the breast due to scar tissue)
•leak or rupturesilicone implants may leak or rupture slowly, releasing silicone gel into surrounding tissue; saline implants may rupture suddenly and deflate, usually requiring immediate removal or replacement
•temporary or permanent change or loss of sensation in the nipple or breast tissue
•formation of calcium deposits in surrounding tissue, possibly causing pain and hardening
•shifting from the original placement, giving the breast an unnatural look
•interference with mammography readings, possibly delaying breast cancer detection by "hiding" a suspicious lesion. Also, it may be difficult to distinguish calcium deposits formed in the scar tissue from a tumor when interpreting the mammogram. When making an appointment for a mammogram, the woman should tell the scheduler she has implants to make sure qualified personnel are on-site. At the time of the mammogram she should also remind the technician she has implants before the procedure is done, so the technician can use special techniques to obtain the best mammogram and to avoid rupturing the implant.
click here for further information on what you must know before you even think about breast augmentation. Lisa wall has been a medical researcher and writer for over 20 years and has written for leading health journals across the country