Can Leaking Saline Breast Implants Cause Lumps?

Ms Martin:
Saline does not cause hard lumps in a breast. If your implant is leaking or has leaked you would know it by now. It would deflate and the saline would be absorbed into your body (safely). Your breast would certainly be smaller.You might feel folds of the implant shell if it has failed, but this should not be a hard mass.
Any hard mass should be evaluated with a mammogram. If you don't have money or insurance, there are clinics you can go to to help you with this. Get this taken care of ASAP!

All lumps need to be checked to make sure that it is not a malignancy. There are free clinics if no other resource is available to you. In your area you can check out the SOS clinic or consider UCI. Either way you should see about what is the cause of your lump and at the same time consider removal of your deflated implants.

All breast abnormalities demand examination and management.  I would seek the advice of a surgeon who can do a competent breast examination and evaluation.

A saline implant can cause a palpable lump if it deflates.  The saline is completely removed by the body and has no participation in this.  The silicone shell is folded and forms the lump.  Nevertheless, it could be mistaken for another problem and you should have this looked after insurance or not.

Any hard lump in the breast should be evaluated by a physician immediately!  A leaking saline implant will not cause a lump as the saline (salt water) will be absorbed by your body as it leaks out.  A leaking silicone implant, on the other hand, could potentially lead to a lump if a silicone granuloma forms.  It is possible to feel the shell of the implant, which can be firm in texture, especially after leakage.  Also, capsular contracture around the implant can cause some firmness.  But, a discrete lump is likely separate from the implant and should be evaluated.

Breast implants do not increase your risk for cancer -- but it is still very possible to get breast cancer.  No, saline implants do not cause lumps.  The discomfort you are describing may be due to capsular contracture or hardening of the scar tissue.

If you have an abnormal lump it MUST be evaluated by a physician.  Even without insurance there are many options for low-cost or no-cost cancer screenings and treatment.

SEE A DOCTOR TO CHECK THE LUMP.

Amy~

A leaking saline implant does not cause lumps.  In fact, the saline is harmlessly absorbed by your body over time in the case of a gradual implant deflation.  The firmness that you feel in your breast could be related to thickening of the scar (capsule) around the implant but the fact that you feel a lump is VERY concerning!

Any lumps felt in the breast (or elsewhere) should be evaluated by a medical professional.  I suggest that you seek medical attention and have someone make sure that this is benign.  

I hope this helps!

There are several issues here that need to be addressed. First of all, if you have noticed a new lump in your breast tissue that feels like it is part of your breast tissue, it is not a result of your implant. Any new mass in your breast must be evaluated to exclude breast cancer as a possibility. The second issue relates to a ruptured breast implant. Whether an implant is saline or silicone, if the device is defective, it should be removed. Although a deflated implant may be palpable through your breast tissue, this is a separate and distinct problem from a true breast mass.

Unlikely to be the implants, but could be. However, any breast lump should be evaulated by a physician.
I do not recommend the "wait and let's see" policy for this. It is hard to tell you that it is your implant without examining you, so go see a physician to do a proper exam, probably seeing a plastic surgeon would be your best bet.
Good luck.

It may be that the "lump" you feel is actually the implant shell, which becomes irregular as the implant deflates.  Regardless of our guesses, you need to see a plastic surgeon who can do a thorough evaluation and treatment.