How Much Heat Can a Breast Implant Be Subjected to Before Exploding?

asked 11 months ago by sassy8979 in Valencia, CA
Latest answer by Tom J. Pousti, MD
Question viewed 338 times
Tags: damage, heat, temperature

10 answers to How Much Heat Can a Breast Implant Be Subjected to Before Exploding?

Breast Augmentation

The amount of heat your body can safely tolerate will not affect the implant. I would be cautious about sunburn on your skin especially if there is some partial numbness postop. Be careful on your sun exposure. I hope this info helps.

Ronald H. Stefani Jr, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

How hot are you?

What an odd question. You could not generate enough body heat to explode your implants unless you fell victim to spontaneous human combustion in which case we would be reading about you in the National Enquirer. If you are a woman of a certain age and are experiencing hot flashes, I feel your heat. It just feels like all of you is ready to explode or melt down, not just the implants. Thank heavens for HRT and ice tea. Lisa Lynn Sowder, M.D. more

Lisa L. Sowder, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Breast Implant Explosion?

Thank you for the interesting question. Unless you are planning on space travel very close to the sun, I don't think you need to worry about your implants “exploding” secondary to heat exposure. Best wishes.

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Exploding Implant

I would like to add that if an implant were stabbed or shot it would lose its integrity. Explode is not a word that really pertains to an implant having difficulties.

Charles Virden, MD
Reno Plastic Surgeon

www.virdenmd.com

How much heat can an implant take?

I think that Dr. Eppley gave a very nice scientific explanation of the heat tolerance of implants. From a practical standpoint, you don't have to worry. Saline implants would burst when the water in them boils which would be at least 212 degrees F. Silicone has an even higher melting temperature. The bottom line is that the implants can withstand much higher temperatures than your body can. By comparison, an INTERNAL body temperature above about 104 degrees... more

Laurence Weider, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Breast Implants Do Melt and/or Explode At High Temperatures

This is an interesting biomaterials question but is clinically irrelevant from a living patient standpoint. (it is, however, very relevant if you are an undertaker or run a funeral home in regards to cremation!) The degradation temperature of a breast implant is a function of two factors; the melt temperature of its surrounding polymer shell and the heat expansion/burst temperature of the filler material. The melt temperature of the polymer shell well exceeds 270 degrees F which is well... more

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD
Indianapolis Plastic Surgeon

www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com

More than the breast tissue

I would like to know why you ask this question. Both saline and silicone implants can tolerate extrem temperatures that your body can not tolerate. Do not try to find out the exact temperature.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD
New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

How much heat can implant take?

That is an interesting question. The implants are pretty inert and can withstand temperature fluctuations that are normally found in the body and in the outside world. I am guessing that if you threw one in a fire it would melt.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

How much heat can an implant stand?

A lot. More than your body could tolerate, so there is no real risk of your implant being damaged by high temperatures.

Robert M. Grenley, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

How much heat can breast implants be subjected to?

Breast implants can be subjected to much more heat than the body can withstand before they will be damaged. They are made to be reliable and durable well beyond the extremes of physiologic temperatures.