Can seatbelt pressure from normal sudden stops, no accidents, cause implant rupture?

This is a frequent question and the answer is absolutely NO.  Seat belts will not cause an implant rupture.  I actually had a patient involved in a serious accident.  She was wearing her seat belt and the airbags went off.  Fortunately she was fine and so were her implants.

It is unlikely for a seatbelt to cause an implant to rupture.  Patients who are in an accident may get imaging to work up or rule out other injuries.  These studies could show a ruptured implant, but even if you were diagnosed with a rupture after an accident, it would be impossible to determine if the impact caused the rupture unless you had imaging showing that it was intact before the impact.  

Great question--it seems very unlikely if you have current generation silicone gel implants.  Older silicone implants (those placed prior to the implant moratorium) were more susceptible to rupture especially if they have been in for 15 or more years.  If you have current generation implants, it would probably take much more trauma to rupture an implant. You can really beat those implants up and they will hold their shape and remain in tact.  A significant car accident with direct impact on an implant (e.g. seatbelt, hitting the steering wheel, etc.) MIGHT theoretically rupture.  If there is a question/concern or your breast/implant feels different, you could certainly have your doctor order a breast MRI to screen for rupture.  Good luck!

Hello and thank you for your excellent question. No, suddenly stopping in a car is unlikely to cause breast implant rupture. If you are concerned, you should seek in-person evaluation. I suggest that you find a board-certified plastic surgeon with whom you are comfortable. Be sure to have all of your questions answered during a face-to-face meeting with your surgeon, and review before and after pictures of patients who have had similar procedures. Good luck!

Best,

Jon Ver Halen, MD FACS

Harvard educated plastic surgeon

Texas “Top Doc”