Do facial silicone implants break down over time like plastics do and can they pass through the blood-brain barrier?

Question

I have heard plastics break down ověr time and can pass through the blood brain barrier. Does this happen with silicone implants as well since it is a hybrid between plastic and rubber? Thank you.

Edwin Kwon, MD, FACS · Answer

You do not have to worry about the silicone implants breaking down.  If you are using the appropriate silicone implants designed for the face, the implants are not likely to breakdown over time by your body.  This is evidenced as I have removed silicone nasal implants that have been in patients for decades.  When the implants are removed, they are completely intact and have no signs of degradation or wear.

Zoran Potparic, MD · Answer

There is no data in plastic surgery literature that implants made of solid silicone rubber would change or disintegrate in time. For that reason,  answer to your question is a simple, no. In person consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon with good reputation in facial implants would help. Good luck.

Michael I. Echavez, MD · Answer

Facial silicone implants are solid and do not break down over time, so they would not pass through the blood-brain barrier.

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD · Answer

Solid medical-grade silicone materials used in skull, face and non-breast body implants do not degrade or breakdown in the human body. The silicone-oxygen bonds are quite strong. There are no enzymes in the body that can disrupt these bonds. They can only change their physical structure when exposed to temperatures that exceed at least 375 degrees F.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

Any foreign body placed during surgery is encapsulated by the body basically sealing it off with a layer of scar tissue. Very few particles are going to pass through this capsule or membrane of scar tissue.When liquid silicone or gel silicone is involved like ruptured silicone implants silicone particles have migrated to axillary lymph nodes. That’s liquid silicone and not solid silicone. That is the worst case scenario if that’s ever been shown.There’s no evidence that a solid silicon will break down or migrate and it is highly unlikely it would cross the blood brain barrier and even if it did it probably wouldn’t make any difference anyway.Another way to look at this is by the time it did it probably wouldn’t matter.Plastic particles in the brain is probably not what people should be concerned about when contemplating getting facial implants.Best, Mats Hagstrom MD

Sybile Val, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

There is no danger of breakdown with a facial silicone implant.  The silicone oxygen bonds are quite strong. There are no enzymes in the body that can disrupt these bonds  They are perfectly safe.

Do facial silicone implants break down over time like plastics do and can they pass through the blood-brain barrier?

Answers (6)

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