Concerns with Silicone Breast Implants Safety

asked 2 years ago by helptoknowplease in Moscow
Latest answer by Steven Wallach, MD
Question viewed 432 times
Tags: breasts, safety

If silicone breast implants are safe, why does it need to be removed once ruptured and sometimes with breast tissue? Silicone implants consist of many ingredients. How do I know I will be fine? I am not even considering explantation without replacement once implanted.

9 answers to Concerns with Silicone Breast Implants Safety

Silicone implants and safety

Thanks for the question. Silicone implants as with saline implants are extremely safe. Extensive clinical research has been conducted on silicone implants with the conclusion that there is no definitive link between connective-tissue disease and silicone implants. Additionally, if one looks at the systemic concentrations of silicone secondary to having breast implants versus the typical day-to-day exposure to silicone found in commonly used products such as deodorants, the latter far... more

Glenn Vallecillos, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Are silicone breast implants safe?

When silicone or saline breast implants rupture, we always want to take them out. For saline implants, there is just no reason to leave them in and most people want them out or exchanged. For silicone implants that rupture, the silicone is usually still contained within the capsule that your body normally forms around the implant. Sometimes, the silicone can break through the capsule and into the breast tissue. In those cases (very rare), we try to remove all the silicone since it is an... more

Sirish Maddali, MD
Portland Plastic Surgeon

Silicone implants and ruptures

Hi, we remove ruptured silicone implants because the gel can cause inflammation and scarring of the breast. This can sometimes become a capsular contracture, in which the tissue contracts and can be painful. The material itself however will not migrate through the body or cause disease. Best wishes, /nsn.

Nina S. Naidu, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Concerns with silicone breast implants safety

Dear Helptoknowplease, Russia these days has some of the richest men on earth and yet when it comes to regulation of medical implantables and injectibles it is still a bit of a Wild West. (Just speak to Turkish plastic surgeons who are asked to operate on some Russians). This is NOT to say that Russian plastic surgeons are in any way inferior to Americans. It has to do with which implants are used on the market. So I will be assuming you are having American made implants (Mentor or... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

Issues related to silicone implant safety

The previous posts have done a good job of emphasizing that silicone is safe and nontoxic, so I will address your other questions more specifically. First, the term "rupture" isn't really accurate since it sounds like the implants are prone to exploding, which of course they do not. In fact, when there is a hole that develops in the outer shell, it is a silent and harmless event. There are actually studies where MRI showed a "rupture" and the patients decided to do... more

Richard Baxter, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Let's see

Studies have indicated what most plastic surgeons have known all along- silicone breast implants are not linked with health issues. Basically, you want toget saline and silicone implants out when a rupture is detected. Sometimes in either case it is required to remove the capsule (contracture, sub-optimal appearance, or in the case of silicone implants, to try to keep the silicone localized within the capusle). A small amount of breast tissue usually is removed with the capsule, can't... more

Scott E. Kasden, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Risks of Silicone.

If you have anxiety regarding these implants, no amount of reassurance may ease your mind. Furthermore, you may experience anxiety if you have lingering questions. In this event you may want to consider saline but even these implants have an outer shell made of silicone. However, this has been reviewed multiple times and no serious medical concerns have been discovered. Why remove the silicone? It is a viscous material that people generally prefer to have removed but some experts have... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Silicone breast implants are safe

Unequivocally, silicone breast implants are safe. Over the past 15 years, many large and rigorous studies have been performed investigating whether silicone breast implants are associated with autoimmune diseases or any types of cancer. All studies performed reached the same conclusion; there is no conclusive data supporting any link between silicone implants and these diseases. Only after carefully considering these scientific studies did the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approve... more

Sam Jejurikar, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Silicone implants

Silicone breast implants are very safe. If the implant ruptures, it is best to remove the contents and replace them with implants protected by the shell. The shape will better and the material will not migrate.