Breast Implants: Q&A
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Signs of Leaking Breast Implants
I've had my breast implants for about 4 years. When I lie down my implants sometimes feel like a misshapen, hard lump. I can also feel the implants and some soreness. Are these signs my breast implants are leaking? How can I tell?
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17 Doctor Answers |
Asked by
ktrees
in swansea
+2
Leaking implants difficult to detect clinically
A saline implant will lose volume when leaking, so this is fairly evident although the implants may not collapse completely.
A silicone implant leak is more difficult to detect. In fact, one of the biggest dilemmas we have as plastic surgeons is when we are faced with the so-called "silent leak." As the name implies, the leak is undetectible clinical since there may be no change in shape, size, or texture.
An implant has a greater chance of leaking the longer it has been implanted...
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Breast Implant Leaks
Good question -
The first question is do you have silicone or saline implants. Generally saline implant leaks are easier to detect than silicone leaks.
Signs can include:
Change in shape
Change in volume
Associated trauma
Findings on ultrasound
Findings on MRI
For individuals with silicone isolated lumps, redness and pain can be associated with local silicone leaking and the body's reaction to free silicone.
It is important to realize that it is possible, even with strong signs of implant...
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I never like the word leak with regard to today's silicone gel implants; saline is another matter
The silicone gel in all of the gel filled implants on the market today, at least those sold in the last 15 - 20 years, is essentially a solid. Some are softer than others, but essentially all of them feel and behave much like a marshmallow inside. Thus, the word "leak" in the strictest sense does not apply. Mechanically, the gel inside these implants won't run like a liquid, it won't travel to other parts of your body, and even if the outer shell of the implant ruptures, it...
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Leaking Breast Implants Signs & Symptoms
Your symptoms are consistent with capsular contracture, which is a result of inflammation around the implant. If your implants are silicone gel, this could be a sign of a leak. However, there are other reasons for capsular contracture, and the cause is often unknown. I would consult with your plastic surgeon, and an MRI scan may be needed to look for leakage. However, if the symptoms are only intermittent, it may not be serious. Your plastic surgeon can give you the best advice after an...
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Leaking Breast Implants
Although it’s usually easy to tell if saline implants are leaking, the signs are harder to tell with silicone. With saline implants, one breast usually looks noticeably asymmetrical or deflated, and may feel flatter. Silicone implants often need a physical examination or an MRI scan for proper diagnosis. With cohesive gel implants, your breast may look and feel exactly the same, even with a breach in the implant shell.
All breast implants will develop scar tissue around them, which is...
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Signs of Saline vs Silicone Implant Leak
A Saline Implant Leak: The saline solution in a breast implant is very similar to what patients get in their IVs when they need IV fluids at the hospital. When a leak occurs with a saline implant, it most often occurs at the valve on the device. This leak can happen slowly over the course of weeks or months, or it can happen more rapidly over the course of several days. A woman may notice that she has lost volume in her breast and may be asymmetric. This often leads a patient to...
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You May Have an Implant Rupture & Need to Consult With a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeron
In the majority of patients undergoing breast augmentation, implants last a lifetime. Occasionally, implants deflate and need to be replaced.
Current data suggests that implants deflate at a rate of 1% at one year and 3% at three years. Over time, this number can be expected to grow. Implants may deflate with no apparent cause or may deflate secondary to trauma.
When saline implants deflate, the diagnosis is relatively easy to make. These implants lose volume and flatten quickly....
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What kind of Breast Implants you currently have- Depending on the type of implants, you may have different symptoms
First of all we need to know what kind of implants you currently have - Saline filled, textured silicone, high cohesive gel?
Depending on the type of implants, you may have different symptoms. If you have saline implants and they do leak, your breasts will deflate, become empty and the implant could be palpable and sore.
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Signs of Leaking Breast Implants
Detecting leakage from an implant can be difficult at times. When a saline implant leaks it usually does so immediately and thus the breast appears flattened. The longer an implant has been inserted the more likely a leak from a saline implant. Sometimes leakage is discovered during a procedure for removing a capsule. A silicone implant leak can be very difficult to detect. Fortunately, the newer cohesive gel implants rarely leak.
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Signs of Leaking Breast Implants
The signs of breast implant leakage vary between saline and silicone implants. In a saline implant the deflation is usually rapid once a leak occurs. These patients present with a flat breast. With silicone breast implants there is a more gradual deflation and a partial deflation presentation is more likely. If the implant becomes firm and hard then they probably have a capsular contracture and a leak cannot usually be determined until surgery. A hardened and firm...
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