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

Thanks for your question -
Injecting free silicone into the breasts can cause significant long term problems including inflammation and pain. It also can create a problem with differentiating it from breast cancer.
I recently had a patient that we removed freely injected silicone. Part of the tissue we sent demonstrated breast cancer. It is unclear if there was an association with the silicone and breast cancer. However, in your case, it may make detection of breast cancer difficult.
You should consider having the silicone removed.
Find a board certified plastic surgeon that does these procedures.
I hope this helps.

Thank you for sharing your story. What you're going through is very real and understandably frightening, especially as a parent. When silicone/biopolymers are injected directly into the breast, the body often reacts by forming granulomas, chronic inflammatory nodules where the immune system tries to wall off the foreign material. If your imaging showed granulomas in your breast and lymph nodes, this means some of the material may have migrated into nearby tissues and lymphatic drainage areas. The immune system has responded by creating localized inflammation, which can look and feel aggressive. Not all granulomas are life-threatening, but they can become dangerous over time due to chronic inflammation (persistent pain, swelling, and tissue damage). They can also migrate to distant areas. This is not something to ignore, especially if it’s progressing or affecting your health. The next step is to find a surgeon experienced in silicone/biopolymer removal. Not all plastic surgeons deal with this. It is of utmost importance to look for a surgeon who has extensive experience excising foreign material and granulomas, especially from the breasts and lymph nodes. An MRI with silicone-specific sequences can help map the extent and location of material. MRI is the best imaging for any disorder of the soft tissues. While granulomas can be benign, it's wise to rule out malignancy and confirm the diagnosis histologically, especially since it has been years since the injections. Based off of your MRI results, you may need surgical excision of the granulomas and affected nodes (surgical excision is the best, most effective route of silicone/biopolymer removal). Removing the bulk of the foreign material can greatly reduce inflammation and long-term risks. It's important to document any new symptoms (fevers, fatigue, breast changes or skin issues).

You mentioned worrying about your life being cut short because of a past mistake and that guilt is understandable, but it’s also important to remember that many women were misled or not fully informed about the dangers of these injections. Seeking treatment now is brave, and you're doing exactly what your kids need: protecting your health so you can be there for them.

I am a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon with a specialized focus on silicone and biopolymer removal. Over the years, I have dedicated my practice to safely addressing complications arising from these materials. Recognizing the unique challenges they pose, I developed a removal and reconstruction technique that is designed to ensure the most complete removal possible while minimizing risks and optimizing patient outcomes. I'd be happy to see you for a clinical evaluation whether it be a complimentary virtual consultation or an in-office appointment to discuss your options. Please note – insurance can cover these procedures if your plan holds out of network coverage. My Silicone Coordinator can look into existing coverage during your initial call. (516) 279-2616

Best of luck on your silicone removal journey. We're here to help if you need us!

Thank you for your question regarding what to do with your silicone injections to the breasts. Also, regarding what to do with silicomas in your lymph nodes, I highly suggest you have the silicone and the scar tissue removed from both breasts as soon as possible. In addition, I highly recommend you have the lymph nodes removed. This can be done at the same time. Silicone injections to the breasts are very dangerous. They can cause granulomas and siliconomas and, over time, progress to breast cancer. Also, silicone injections can migrate throughout the body. In your case, they are already migrating to your lymph nodes. Therefore, I would again suggest removing silicone and associated scar tissue and lymph nodes from the breasts as soon as possible. Usually breast reconstruction can be done at the same time. Please seek an experienced board Certified plastic surgeon.

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


 

Unlike a silicone breast
implant, which is confined within a shell, liquid silicone injected into an
area gets incorporated into the tissue.While it initially
adds volume, over time it creates an inflammatory reaction and can cause tissue
hardening, skin ulceration, pain, and granulomas – little pockets of
inflammation – which will then distort the breast. When this has occurred, the best treatment is a mastectomy with simultaneous breast reconstruction.  For very small, focal or localized areas, a lumpectomy type treatment will suffice. Buttock or breast
enlargement can be done with silicone implants, from your own fat, or with illegal
foreign substances, such as free silicone.
It is the injection of foreign substances that is the most worrisome, causing
irreversible damage. The bottom line - If you are interested in
adding volume, make sure you consult with an appropriately licensed practitioner
who offers FDA-approved products. This
may save you from irreversible damage.

Regards, 
Liquid silicone is unsafe, please do not use it ever. The autoimmune response could be triggered by this substance, if you look around on the Internet, you will find patients that have a lot of problems with this product. The use for lips and other areas is off label. 
It is unfortunate the fact you have this substance injected into your breast tissues. Yes, it is dangerous,even medical literature shows that patients could develope different kinds of breast cancer after breast liquid silicone injections. The conduct is to perform mastectomy and eventually manage the axillary nodes. Finally, a reconstruction with tissue expanders or flaps can be performed.
Biopolymers (liquid silicone, Poly Acrylamide Gel, PMMA, Macrolane, etc), ALWAYS should beremoved, because you could present at any time Iatrogenic Allogenosis and probably A.S.I.A.syndrome. 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 Rios.

Silicone injections in various parts of the body has been done quite frequently all over the country.  The difficulty with silicone injections begins with the quality of the silicone itself.  I have seen many cases where industrial grade silicone has been injected inside the human body.  This can be a tremendous disaster.  Problems can include infections, granulomas, cellulitis, and persistent skin infections, disfigurement and skin dimpling.  It is very easy to have silicone injected, but very difficult to have it removed.  The removal can frequently be very complex and involved lengthy surgery. Multiple operation is not uncommon.   It is not uncommon to expect scars in locations that would otherwise be undesirable.  If you do have silicone, or are having problem with silicone that was injected by a non-healthcare provider then you should certainly seek medical attention.  Some solutions include IV antibiotics, oral antibiotics and surgery after the inflammation has subsided.  Removing the silicone is not just a cosmetic issue but also an issue of better health.  Depending on the type of silicone injected concerns with autoimmune diseases and infections are foremost.  Taking medications such as ibuprofen or cortisone is only a temporary measure.  The real solution is surgery.  Not all plastic surgeons are willing to operate on patients who have had silicone injected in their body.  Many of these cases are not covered by insurance because they were performed for cosmetic reasons.  My recommendation to anyone that has had silicone injections and wishes to have it removed, is to seek a board certified plastic surgeon who is likely willing to do more than 1 operation as well as willing to do some of these operations in a hospital setting. I have had patients visit me for removal of silicone and the discussion to proceed is never an easy one.

Thank you for the question.

I'm sorry to hear about your experience;  unfortunately, it is a difficult problem to remedy.

The best option is a visit with several well experienced board-certified plastic surgeons to see if the silicone is well localized enough to be excised.  If it has been injected diffusely throughout the breasts excision ( without doing a mastectomy)  is probably impossible.

The “safest option” will depend on your age, physical examination, and goals;  all of which will be better assessed after in person consultation.

Best wishes.

Silicone should NEVER be injected into the breast or butt region. Unfortunately, there are practitioners and even non-medical personnel that perform this on unsuspecting patients. In Florida, we have seen many patients who have received this and unfortunately, some of them have paid the ultimate price- dying when the silicone has moved to their kidneys or lungs. 

You are currently experiencing one of the serious complications that can occur with a silicone injection.

You should receive a consultation by a board certified plastic surgeon who can review your options with you and may suggest a lumpectomy or partial mastectomy to remove these silicomas.

Please take care of yourself, your children, and best of luck with this unfortunate situation.