Do Breast Implants and Chicken Nuggets Share Ingredients?

I saw a string of retweets on Twitter about Chicken McNuggets and breast implants containing the same ingredient -- Polydimethylsiloxane, also referred to as dimethylpolysiloxane. It appears McDonald's does list this as an ingredient in their nuggets -- is it also used in breast implants?

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silicone implant ingredient

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7 Doctor Answers | Asked by Makenzie in Seattle, WA

Doctor Answers (7)
Community Comments (2)

Silicone is found in many places you wouldn't think

Thank you for your question. I agree with the answers below. Silicone and some of its related compounds are ubiquitous, meaning found everywhere on the planet Earth. This doesn't mean that when you are eating a Chicken McNugget, that you are taking a bite out of what could be a breast implant. True, true, and unrelated.

Silicon In Cooking and Breast Implants

Of the over forty ingredients that are in a Chicken McNugget, one of those is an oil derived from silicone known as polydimethylsiloxane. It is there to act as an antifoaming agent to keep the fryers from boiling over in the cooking process. It is derived from the identical base element silicon that also comprises a gel breast implant. While there are similar in this elemental composition, they are manufactured differently so one is an oil and the other is a more linked cohensive gel. While... more

Do breast implants and chicken nuggets share ingredients?

Polydimethylsiloxane, also know as PDMS, is a common food additive present in some processed foods like chicken nuggets, jams, milk products, and processed vegetables. It is also used in most silicone products, putties, and adhesives. This this does not mean that breast implants have anything to do with chicken nuggets. As a matter of fact, silicone is found in beer, oats, barley, and rice.

Breast implants and chicken McNuggets?

I know that there is a joke somewhere in this,but I'll keep it serious? Silicone is a lubricant found in many products I suppose it is possible that it is in there. But I have yet to see the Golden Arches on any of my implant products( sorry had to put it out there!).

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Are your implants what you eat?

Silicone molecules are in virtually every manufactured product. I wouldn't make big deal of this or somehow think that chicken nuggets and breast implants have anything of consequence in common. Hydrogen and oxygen molecules (which comprise water) are ubiquitous, too.

Silicone in everyday life

Silicone is in virtually every product you use on a daily basis. It is what makes expensive facial creams feel nice, deodorants spread nicely and hair products produce smooth effects. It is in every makeup product as well. It is pretty much ubiquitous you can find it in everything! The molecule you are referring to is just one of the many that exist in breast implants and many consumer products. All the best, Rian A.... more

Do breast implants and chicken nuggets share ingredients?

Practically speaking, the answer is no. Polydimethylsiloxane is a form of silicone, which is ubiquitous. Silicone is a necessary element for our body. The compound is medical grade in breast implants and nothing is medical grade in Chicken McNuggets, although polydimethylsiloxane is used to keep the chicken from boiling over in the cooking process. I would forget any similarities that you might read about. The main similarity is that they are both present on the planet earth. more

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Comments (2)

quit lying 23 Jan 2013

Just one more thing. Where did you guys get your Mc Doctorates?

quit lying 23 Jan 2013

I can NOT believe what I am reading here. "Silicone is ubiquitous" "You need silicone in your body" First Dimethylopolysiloxane or Polydimethylsiloxane is a Dimethicone polymer. It is NOT made by nature it is only considered "generally inert". PDMS is only "ubiquitous" because dow corning made it that way. You are doing a large disservice to you profession to ignore the thousands of people PDMS has made ill. The human body produces anti-bodies to this chemical, PDMS is wreaking havoc on health care. I am just disgusted by what I have read here. But then again, who lines your pockets moves your mouths, correct? shameful... and yes it is in chicken nuggets, as well as your implants.

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