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Can I Do Breast Cancer Self-exams if I Have Breast Implants?

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breast cancer

Absolutely.

In fact, the implants push the breast tissue forward and can make it easier to detect a breast mass. Make sure your doctor teaches you the right technique. Also, look at the American Cancer Society web site.

George J. Beraka, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Breast exams may actually be easier after breast augmentation

Although breast implants may interfere with mammography, they may actually make breast exams easier. Rather than feeling your ribs and your chest wall muscles, you are pushing your breasts against a uniform, smooth surface, making any breast lumps easier to feel. I recommend that all women with implants spend a few minutes weekly doing implant displacement exercises to prevent/detect capsular contracture. This gives ample opportunity to do breast self-exams monthly.

Ronald Friedman, MD

Dallas Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Breast Cancer Exam After Implants

Absolutely! Once you are completely healed from your surgery, you should continue with your monthly breast examinations. The implants will not interfere with this in any way, and actually can make it easier to detect small things that you might not have felt without the implants in place. The data on breast cancer in women with and without implants is the same - there is no change in detection rate, age, etc. between the two groups.

Christopher V. Pelletiere, MD

Barrington Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Breast Self Exams After Augmentation

My simple answer - ABSOLUTELY. My staff and I review with all our patients how to perform a standard Breast Self Exam (BSE). We recommend routine annual breast cancer screening imaging (mammograms).

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C. Bob Basu, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Breast exam with implants

You can do self-breast exams with implants. The implant will push the breast forward and may make it easier for you to detect changes in the breast tissue. It is important to inform your doctor and mammographer that you have breast implants because they need to do special views (known as Eklund or implant displacement views) to improve the visualization of the breast tissue around the implant.

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David Bogue, MD

Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

You can and should do breast cancer self-screenings if you have implants

Women with breast implants can still perform breast self-exam screenings. And they should. Although this is currently a controversial subject, my personal feeling is that every woman should examine their breasts for lumps on a regular basis. Interestingly, there is a Canadian study of women with breast implants and it found that lumps were actually found at a smaller size in these women. Does this mean that all women should get implants so that they can better detect cancer? No. ... more

Gregory A. Buford, MD

Denver Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

You SHOULD do Breast Self Examinations REGARDLESS of having or not having had Breast Implants

It takes breast cancer an estimated year to go from a single cell to a pea size - the earliest palpable size felt by a finger. A small breast cancer is curable. It therefore is VERY important for EVERY WOMAN to do breast self examinations daily. This will often provide the earliest finding of a trouble spot. This method is NOT always reliable and should be supplemented by mammograms and MRI.

Peter A. Aldea, MD

Memphis Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Cancer self-exam after Breast Augmentation

Absolutely, you can. In fact, some believe that the implants will make it easier to detect abnormalities because it pushes the breast tissue foreward and that makes lumps and bumps easier to palpate. Silicone implant require MRI every 2-3 years to check on the integrity of the implant .

Samir Shureih, MD

Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Your breast cancer checks are the same after breast augmentation

After breast augmentation surgery, the frequency of your exams in the same, the time of starting them is the same and the chance of anything coming up is the same. Essentially, nothing has changed. Best Wishes, DoctorMeade

Ricardo A. Meade, MD

Dallas Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Breast self-exams with implants

You certainly can and should do breast self-exams if you have breast implants. The implant although perhaps palpable should feel different than a breast mass. Also, routine mammograms should be part of your regimen.

Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

You MUST do self breast exams after breast implants

Not only can you, but you must do self examinations after breast implants are placed. Many breast abnormalities are picked up by patients through self exam, and it is vital that every woman continues to screen herself for problems. Breast tissue is always in front of the implants, no matter if the implant is placed directly behind the tissue or behind the muscle. You may find that breast self examination will be easier as the breast tissue is stretched over the underlying breast implant.... more

Adam David Lowenstein, MD

Santa Barbara Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Breast self-exam after breast augmentation

Every woman should "know" their breasts. This is done by routine self examination during different times of the month. You will find your breasts may feel different at different times related to your menstrual cycle. After breast augmentation, the implant pushes against your breast tissue and will actually make breast self-exam easier. A small mass which may not have been palpable may become evident. Therefore, in my opinion, it is important to start or continue self... more

Michael A. Jazayeri, MD

Santa Ana Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Breast Cancer self exam and Breast Implants

Breast self examination should be performed by all women over 30, regardless of having a breast implant or not. Breast implants facilitate most examinations of the breast but may obscure complete examination under the lateral and medial folds of the breast implant. A special mammogram should be performed after mammogram which is known as the Ecklund technique.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Breast self-exam is important for all women

I routinely instruct women on breast self-exam, one month after surgery. Although there has, been some controversy on the value of BSE, it is an adjunct to screening women for breast cancer and certainly more available than the annual well women's exam. It doesn't cost many, confer radiation exposure and when practiced regularly, can empower women. Good luck.

Lavinia Chong, MD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Okay to have breast cancer self exam after getting implants

Hello, Breast self exams are controversial as the National Cancer Institute has done a "back and forth" on them. Initially they recommended them, now they have kinda gone back on that position. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/breast/page5 I do not recommend breast self-exams alone, but in combination with regular physicians examinations and screening mammograms. Breasts with and without implants should be screened for breast cancer. I believe self-exams are helpful in this... more

John P. Di Saia, MD

Orange Plastic Surgeon

You most certainly should

I tell all of my patients that your breast cancer surviellance is exactly the same with or without implants. MRI may play a larger role in the future because it can evaluate the implants and your breast tissue. Dr Edwards