Breast cancer checking?

Hello,
Yes, I would still recommend self exams once a month. You are looking for a lump like a piece of corn in mashed potatoes. When you are ready for mammograms, simply tell the clinic beforehand that you have implants.
All the best,
Dr. Joe

This is a great question! It is important that all women perform monthly breast exams regardless of the presence of implants. You will still be able to feel your breast tissue after your implants are in place. Regular mammograms can still be performed as recommended by your breast health specialist. Just be sure to mention that you have implants during your mammogram. Technicians are generally very familiar with how to properly obtain imaging for those with implants.

Hello,

Thank you for the question.

Women who have breast implants for cosmetic augmentation should have regular screening mammograms. Always tell the staff at the mammogram facility if you have breast implants, both when you make the appointment and when you arrive for your appointment.

An implant can block the view of the surrounding breast tissues, which can make it harder to detect breast cancer on a mammogram. To help make more of the tissue visible, the technician will take extra pictures during a screening mammogram called “implant displacement views.”

The technician will gently push the implant back against the chest wall and pull more of the breast tissue forward before compressing the breast. It’s also important to know that if you have silicone gel-filled breast implants (whether for reconstruction or cosmetic augmentation), the FDA recommends that you have periodic imaging with MRI or ultrasound to screen for implant rupture. The first MRI or ultrasound should be performed five or six years after implant surgery, and then every two or three years after that.

I hope this helps.
Best regards, Dr. Karanetz

Dr. Irena Karanetz
Breast Fellowship-Trained
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Queens, New York
(516) 833 0309