There are several essential things to consider before undergoing breast implant surgery.
Breast implants are not lifetime devices. The longer you have your implants, the more likely it will be for you to have them removed.
You should assume that you will need additional surgeries (reoperations) because breast implants are not lifetime devices, and complications can occur.
Even if you have complications, the cost of implant removal or implant replacement may not be covered by insurance.
The longer you have breast implants, the more likely you will experience complications and adverse outcomes, which may be cosmetically undesirable and irreversible.
The most common local complications and adverse outcomes are capsular contractures, reoperation and implant removal. Other local complications include rupture or deflation, wrinkling, asymmetry, scarring, pain, and infection at the incision site. You should speak to your surgeon for a complete list of complications and adverse outcomes that may occur for a specific breast implant.
There are different shapes, styles and textures of breast implants. Discuss your goals and expectations and the benefits and risks of breast implants with your surgeon.
If your implants are removed but not replaced, you may experience changes to your natural breasts, such as dimpling, puckering, wrinkling, breast tissue loss, or other undesirable cosmetic changes.
Breast implants need to be monitored for as long as you have them.
If you have silicone gel-filled breast implants, your healthcare provider may recommend that you have regular exams using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or ultrasound, which may not be covered by your insurance, to screen for breast implant rupture and other complications.
You must see your healthcare provider promptly if you notice abnormal breast or implant changes.
There is a risk of developing a type of cancer called breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) in the breast or scar tissue (capsule) surrounding the implant. BIA-ALCL is not breast cancer. Treatment of BIA-ALCL involves the removal of the implant and the capsule surrounding the implant. Some patients have also required chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Although treatable, there is a risk of death for patients diagnosed with BIA-ALCL.
Some breast implant patients report various systemic symptoms, such as chronic fatigue, brain fog, and joint and muscle pain, which may not meet the diagnostic criteria to be categorised as a disease. Patients refer to these symptoms collectively as “breast implant illness (BII).” In addition, patients sometimes report that removing their breast implants without replacement reverses their signs.
