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What Are the Risk with Flying with Saline Breast Implants?

I am a black female in Germany due to military reasons. I will be returning to the states in about 10 months. I am having a tummy tuck and breast implants done in May. I have not decided which type implant im going to go with because I am afraid of silicone and the horrors stories Ive heard of people's immune systems being compromised.My doctor prefers I use silicone but he says it up to me. He said something I never heard, he said that the valve in the implant can open while flying. Info PLEASE

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14 Doctor Answers | Asked by Nikki frm Ga in Europe in Ramstein-Miesenbach

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Flying and breast implants

Aircraft cabins are pressurized so that the pressure within the cabin is the same as on the ground. This should pose no threat to your breast implants whether they are saline or silicone gel. Another question that I frequently get is if you can SCUBA dive with implants. The answer to that one is also yes.

Flying with saline implants

It is safe to fly with either saline or silicone gel implants. You should not be worried about silicone gel implants. There are numerous retrospective studies of the old silicone gel style implants put in millions of women as well as prospective studies of the new style silicone gel implants that show there is no higher likelihood of any medical problem in patients with silicone gel implants than people without implants at all.

Todd C. Case, MD

14 reviews

Tucson Plastic Surgeon

What Are the Risks of Flying with Saline Breast Implants?

There are none of which I am aware. After your breast augmentation surgery, and once you are over the early healing phase (2-4 weeks), you are meant to begin to forget you had the surgery. There are no specific activities that I advise my patients to avoid at that time. By the way, there never was (nor is there to this day) any serious evidence that silicone gel breast implants have a relationship with immune disorders in humans. These are the likely the most intensively studied... more

Flying after Breast Augmentation Surgery

Both saline and silicone breast implants are safe when considering flying. Millions of women have flown after both saline and silicone breast augmentation surgery. Many patients travel to to Florida for their jacksonville breast augmentation surgery and return home via plane within the first few weeks after surgery without any incidence or complications.

Saline implants are safe in flying.

The decision to pick which type of implant (saline or silicone) is ultimately up to you. After reviewing all pros and cons of silicone and saline implants, you should decide on the implant type. You should know that both the saline and silicone implants are safe; they do not cause caner or connective disease. In regards to saline implant, I have never heard nor experienced any valve problem while flying.

Saline implants are safe while flying

I have performed augmentation on several fighter, transport, and helicopter pilots and none of them have ever experienced any problems with their implants -- even when pulling several G's in fighters. For some reason I have been asked about flying and implants by several patients in the last several months -- there must be some thread out on the internet that is making people nervous. I am unaware of any risks associated with implants and flying. Most of the horror stories... more

Never heard of this

Honestly silicone implants have been proven to be very safe and the majority of patients do prefer them. That being said I agree with your surgeon that both options are fine and the choice is yours. I have never heard any issues about valve problems while flying. Good luck!

No risk from flying with saline breast implants

Thousnads of women are wearing saline breast implants and they travel and fly without any concerns. You should do the same. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd.com

Implants and flying

If flying wsa prohibited with implants, then most flights would only ahve men on them! It is perfectly safe to fly with implants.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

No risk to flying with breast implants

It may help to remember here that there are a lot of flight attendants with implants and I can't think of even a theoretical reason why it would be unsafe. I also have to say that the silicone gel implants that are approved for use in the U.S. are also safe. The question of immune reaction to silicone has been very extensively investigated and no clinically significant connection has been found.

Both Saline and Silicone Implants are Safe

Both saline and silicone implants have been thoroughly studied and demonstrated in multiple studies to be safe. Despite the scares or a few years ago, they have not been linked to any diseases. The valve on a saline implant will not open up in flight and is not something to worry about. Saline implants have air dissolved in the saline and I have seen a few patients who have had some of the air come out of solution causing temporary sloshing when traveling from sea level to the mountains.... more

Saline implants

I have never ever heard that the valve of a saline implant can open during flying even despite pressure changes, so no worries stay safe and thank you for all you do for us overseas!!

Flying with Saline Breast Implants?

Thank you for the question. There are many things to consider when deciding to have breast augmentation surgery. However, one thing you do not have to be worried about is the valve of a saline implant opening while flying. I have attached a link below outlines potential risks/complications associated with breast implants. I hope this helps.

Flying With Saline Implants

You are perfectly safe flying with saline implants. There are minor pressure changes with flying but all airline cabins are pressurized and I have never heard of the valve from a saline implant flying open. Quite frankly, that kind of statement sounds ridiculous to me. Get your saline implants and feel free to travel by air. Good luck.