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What Happens to Breast Implants on a Plane Trip?

asked 10 months ago by anon
Latest answer by Steven Wallach, MD
Question viewed 2,013 times
Tags: enlarged, enlargement, flying, problem, travel

How are breast implants affected by altitude or high pressure? Are there some changes to implants at high altitude? What happens and what precautions are needed?

14 answers to What Happens to Breast Implants on a Plane Trip?

It's an urban myth

I understand there was a certain airline company several years ago that spread a rumour. They were finding that a lot of their staff were taking time off after their cabin crew were getting breast implant surgery, so they started spreading a rumour that implants could explode in mid air. So, the crew stopped getting implants and normal flight services were resumed! Nothing should happen to the implants, but whenever implants are inserted, there's a small amount of air that goes into... more

Taimur Shoaib, MD
Glasgow Plastic Surgeon

Effect of altitude on breast implants

You may be surprised, but I get this question a lot. As far as pressure goes, there is high pressure and low pressure. On an airplane, you have low pressure. Typically, the interior of the plane is pressurized (certainly for any commercial airplane or any airplane going very high), but not pressurized all the way to sea level pressure. Scuba diving is high pressure. You typically get one atmosphere of pressure for every 33 feet of depth, so at 33 feet, you have two... more

James Nachbar, MD
Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon

No problems with flying!

This is an interesting question, but you should be comforted to know that a change, if any, goes unnoticed. There is no problem with flying.

John W. Bass, MD
Phoenix Plastic Surgeon

Effect of altitude and pressure on breast implants

Altitude and pressure have no effect on breast implants. Flying after surgery can be a problem only if you have to tote and lift heavy bags in the early post-op period. Fly, SCUBA, parasail, parachute jump; enjoy life. Most surgeons would recommend waiting for six weeks afer surgery, though, before engaging in vigorous physical activity that might impact your chest.

Daniel Greenwald, MD
Tampa Plastic Surgeon

Are Breast Implants Attected by Air Travel?

No, No, No, and NO. There is 100% no problem flying on an airplane after breast implants. In fact you can become an astronaut if you like and do space travel. One astronaut had breast implants in her college years and then flew in the shuttle. Did her implants explode? Implode? No and No again. Her implants tarveled to the space station with her and returned happily. If your liver, heart, brain, anf big toe... more

George Commons, MD
Palo Alto Plastic Surgeon

www.pacfps.com

Nothing will happen to your implants regardless of the altitude

When I was in training one of my plastic surgeon professors had been a flight surgeon before becoming a plastic surgeon. He was still active with the aerospace program and there for had access to the altitude chamber. He like many, felt that if you ended up at a very high altitude, there would be significant problems with your implants. So he set up a camera to video the implant and then used the chamber to take the atmospheric pressure to extremely high altitudes. He was surprised to see... more

Carl W. "Rick" Lentz III, MD
Daytona Beach Plastic Surgeon

Breast implants and extreme changes in altitude

Breast implants are very durable and resilient products. They will not be affected by altitude changes( i.e in an airplane) or under the sea while scuba diving.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Breast implants and airplanes

On a normal plane flight after a new augmentation, you may feel some pressure changes, just like in your ears. if there is a sigificant pressure change in the airplane cabin, you have bigger issues than your implants going on!

Jonathan Saunders, MD
Newark Plastic Surgeon

www.drjonathansaunders.com

Breast implants are safe during air travel.

Breast implants are not affected by altitude or high pressure. So flying with breast implants is safe. Rest assured and have a fun trip!

Dana Khuthaila, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Safe to fly with breast implants

Implants are not, as far as I know, affected by altitude or high pressure. I understand your concerns in regards to limitations and rules to follow after having breast surgery. There are no limitations when having breast implants. I have many patients flying in for surgery for breast augmentation and they are able to fly home within a few days. During the recovery period, it is important to avoid any heavy-lifting and strenuous activity for the first few weeks after surgery to avoid implant... more

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

What Happens to Breast Implants on a Plane Trip?

I may not understand the question. Do you mean within 2 weeks after the operation vs after healed? I feel in my patients immediate flying is a problem with added swelling , blood clots, infection risks whether if the operation was implants or a facelift. But each surgeon determine his own post op protocol. If you are months from the operation than there are no precautions in flying, but getting to the airport 2 hours before hand to wait in lines. Regards

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Air travel will not affect breast implants

Air travel will not cause any special concerns with breast implants, something many flight attendants can attest to. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

www.peterejohnsonmd.com

Nothing

Breast implants are really not affected by the pressures that you can deal with. There is no change either in an airplane or scuba diving. Have fun and enjoy them.

William B. Rosenblatt, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Breast Implants and Pressure Changes

In reality, nothing happens to breast implants with standard pressure changes ( airplane trip, normal depth scuba diving, etc.) that is of significance. If you ever notice a water bottle that you bring on board an airplane, it changes a little bit as the pressure comes up to the standard 15,000 feet level, but not significantly so. The same probably occurs to a saline implant device, but the changes are small and not enough to notice any sort of difference. There should be... more