What is the Body's Reaction to a Leaking Silicone Implant?

It's a great question. It's important to know that the latest generation of silicone implants are made of a silicone solid, and that they don't leak in the same way that older liquid silicone implants used to. The liquid silicone will leak, when the outer shell ruptures. When this liquid silicone touches the body tissues around the implant then information will occur in the silicone can begin to invade into the tissues with time. Again, the latest generation of implants are silicone solid do not leak in the same way. When considering breast augmentation make sure you find a board certified plastic surgeon who will take the time to answer all of your questions and explain all of your options, so that you can decide if breast augmentation is right for you.

Silicone breast implants are one or the most studied medical devices there are.  One thing to realize is that a ruptured silicone breast implant is unlikely to cause any sign or symptoms as long as the gel is contained in the breast capsule.When a breast implant is placed, over time a capsule or scar forms around the breast implant.  This capsule surround the breast implant.  If there is a rupture of a silicone gel implant, whatever leakage of the gel there is, the capsule generally contains the gel.  Now the older silicone implants were more liquid than the newer cohesive gel implants that are more solid.  With the old silicone implants, if there was a rupture and the capsule actually developed a break in it, then the silicone would permeate into the tissues and if enough got out then it would cause an inflammatory reaction with redness and firmness.The newer cohesive gel implants that are on the market today or not likely to cause similar issues as the older gel implants.However, it has been proven that neither the old or newer gel implants cause any systemic problems with a leakage.Hope that helps.