Can silicone travel to lungs and brains years later?

Question

I had silicone butt injections 7 years ago. Can it still travel to the brain, lungs, other organs years later?

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello CJM0, and thank you for asking whether silicone travels to the lungs and brain years later. Yes, silicone can travel throughout your body.  The medical literature reports that silicone can migrate to every organ.  Injected silicone travels throughout your body by way of the lymphatic circulatory system.  Usually, the spread of silicone is blocked by your lymph nodes.  You are at the highest risk of spreading injected silicone to your lungs and brain during the initial injection.  Sometimes, your silicone injector accidentally injects the silicone into your arteries or veins.  If silicone is injected into the arteries, the silicone can float downstream and block oxygen delivery to the tissue being supplied. This blockage by silicone can cause tissue necrosis and death. Alternatively, if the silicone is injected into a vein, the silicone can easily travel downstream to larger veins and eventually into the inferior vena cava. This large vessel carries the silicone to your heart, and then the silicone can lodge in your lungs.  Silicone blockage of your lungs can be fatal. If the silicone is not injected into your arteries or veins, the silicone can cause an inflammatory response. This includes swelling and the creation of scar tissue as your body attempts to wall off the silicone.  Your body tries to reject the walled-off silicone by bringing the silicone to the surface. This results in fistulas and chronic skin eruptions.  Sometimes, the walls of scar tissue around the silicone break, and the silicone spreads into your lymphatic system. This is how the silicone can spread years after injection.  Therefore, it is very important to have the silicone removed early before it can spread.  
Since removing silicone is a big procedure, please seek an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon with significant experience in removing silicone.  Do your research.  Make sure they have performed many silicone removal surgeries and have the before and after pictures to prove it.  Carefully examine their before and after pictures and check their reviews on RealSelf.   If you cannot find an experienced silicone removal surgeon in your neighborhood, consider traveling out of state. Sincerely, Dr. Katzen, MD, MBA ( Plastic Surgeon, President of the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons, Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, and International College of Surgery and ​member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, RealSelf Hall of Fame, and RealSelf Doctor Advisory Board for Medical Review and Consumer Panel, Director and Chief Investigator of Silicone Removal Institute.)

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Silicone can manifest into diffuse foreign body reaction. The mechanism of action can be different depending on the type of injection. I would seek early treatment with a plastic surgeon. Best, Dr. KaramanoukianLos Angeles

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

Yes silicone can travel to lymph nodes , lungs, and other sites years later.  It is never removed from the body unless surgically removed once its injected.  Best, Dr. Emer.

Carlos Alberto Ríos García, MD · Answer

Regards, Dr Carlos Alberto Ríos regrets that you have been victim of the terrible practice of biopolymers.
The migration can be immediate because a vessel is channeled and suddenly has embolism and that usually leads to death.
When biopolymers are injected, they are not capsules, they are liquids without capsules, therefore, the liquid moves from it was injected, that is known as migration; the migration can be macroscopic (it is visible) or it can be microscopic (it is not visible). Macroscopic migration usually occurs to nearby places, such as the back, genitals, thighs, hips. Instead, microscopic migration can pass to other places after a long time, affecting the joints; affecting many places away, like the kidneys or other organs. The best solution is to remove the product as much as possible, but you can never remove it completely, it is not possible.

Please remember to be aware, do not let any permanenrt filler to be injected into your face, breast, buttocks, calfs, genitalia, etc. The safest way to increase buttocks is through your own fat injections or through silicone implants.
I hope the information was usefull, have a nice day! Dr Carlos Ríos.

Can silicone travel to lungs and brains years later?

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