Silicone Breast Injection. I had an ultrasound and have silicomas in my lymph nodes. What shall I do? Are they dangerous?

Silicone injections into the breast are difficult to treat, although my personal experience has shown that surgical removal can be acheived in some cases. I have followed several patients for some time who have developed silicone nodularity after silicone injections.


In all cases, patients cannot assume that a lump in the breast is a result of a siliconoma or silicone nodule. A thorough workup must be obtained to rule out concomitant carcinoma.




We frequently consult on patients who have undergone silicone injections to their body in Mexico or Tijuana. There are a fair number of doctors still injecting silicone in the breast. However, the overall safety profile for these treatments is poor.

Hi @Mum_of_Three Thanks for the Question!
Free Silicone injections (also referred to as Foreign Body Injections or Black Market Filler) leads to several problems which can arise weeks after the injection or even a decade later if you're lucky. These Silicone Injections are different from Silicone Breast Implants which are FDA Approved, Safe & encased in a special shell or covering. On the other hand, free silicone injections are usually performed with Industrial Grade not Medical Grade Silicone and is often incorrectly injected directly into the tissues of the breast and the body by unlicensed or unskilled practitioners.
The body recognizes these as foreign tissue and mounts an inflammatory response to "wall it off". Through this inflammatory response it can be carried into the lymph nodes and that is what is being shown on your imaging as silicomas. 
There are several methods to available for treating and removing problems associated with silicone injections. If you have an infection, the infection will first need to be treated with oral or IV antibiotics before any surgery can be performed. Commonly, tetracycline type antibiotics such as Minocycline can be effective in patients with silicone granulomatous reactions.
Surgery is usually performed after radiology imaging such as an MRI or CT Scan is performed which can help guide the extent of surgery and create a blueprint of where the foreign body reaction, granulomas and problem lies. 
After surgery, the reconstruction of the area is performed using your own natural tissues. This is performed by harvesting fat from other areas of your body using techniques similar to liposuction and then injecting that fat into the buttock or breast where the silicone was removed from. 
Silicone Removal & Reconstruction is challenging but can be done. Be sure to consult with your plastic surgeon to discuss all your options.
Best of luck,
Dr. Karan Chopra
★★★★★
Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon
Face ⨀ Breast ⨀ Body Expert
Johns Hopkins Trained
Cosmetic Fellowship Trained