Can silicone from breast implants travel to lungs and brain?

Question

I am very worried and so anxious, I can't sleep at night because I heard horrific things. I have breast implants for 6 years. I'm french, there is mediatic event about textured implants in France. There was an official commission in France with patients and surgeons. Any patient said that she has silicone in her lungs and her brain with her breast cohesive implants. It can happen? I am very worried hearing that and I am scarred that silicone can go to body, lungs or cause problems in arteries.

Charles Nduka, MD · Answer

It is very unlikely for silicon to travel into the body's circulation. Silicon implants are intact and even after a rupture, they do not form smaller particles and would definitely not fit into the blood vessels to travel into other parts of the body. Silicone implants are the safest implants on the market.

Brian Coan, MD, FACS · Answer

Great Question!I understand your concern. Silicon implants are the safest implants on the market. Silicon Implants have a "gummy bear" type texture. If something were to cause a rupture, which is very difficult, the silicon stays put and does not move through the body. Think about biting into a gummy bear! Everything stays together. Silicon going to your brain and other parts of your body is something you do not have to worry about.Best Wishes!

Matt Erdmann, MBChB, FRCS(Eng), FRCS (Plast) · Answer

There are two issues which you mention here - the first is silicone and the second is texturing and recent media publicity.
Regarding silicone, this is regarded as a safe product which is used everywhere in foodstuffs, baby's teats and the lining of food tin from which we all eat every day and causes us no harm. The silicone inside modern implants has been cohesive (sticks together like a 'gummy bear sweet' or the inside of a 'turkish delight' sweet) and therefore is not runny and dose not leak into tissues. There have been some instances of older more liquid silicone migrating into the breast tissues but this usually stays within the breast tissue adjacent to the leak or may travel to the lymph nodes in the armpits where it is filtered and stays behind. Even if that happens the advice is to leave the lymph nodes alone unless they are very painful and large. I have never heard of it travelling to the brain, as it would have to travel to the lungs first to get to the brain!Texturing refers to the rough outside surface of an implant which reduces the risk of capsule contracture, and there has been some concern with a particular type of implant which uses a coarse texture and a very rare condition called anaplastic large cell lymphoma (1/30,000 implants). At this stage no definitive link has been made and no recommendations have been made for removal of any implants.

Can silicone from breast implants travel to lungs and brain?

Answers (3)

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Breast Implants

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.

Can silicone from breast implants travel to lungs and brain?

Answers (3)

Browse related questions

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Breast Implants

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.