Smelly Silicone Gel Breast Implants?

Question

My silicone gel breast implants smell! I can smell them and so can my friends. I thought it was just me but people I know can smell them.  What is this? Will the smell go away?

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

This is the first time I have heard a complaint like this after performing thousands of breast augmentations.
It is in your best interest to seek the consultation of a plastic surgeon to help determine the source of the malodor. Depending on the age of your implant, you will likely be asked to obtain an impllant MRI to evaluate implant ingerity or lack of such.
My diagnosis would only be conjecture. From an embyologic standpoint the breast is a modified sweat gland that has evolved to produce milk. Many different stimuli can elicit production of milk.
Implants if perfomed soon after cessation of nursing can result in milk production called galactorrhea. Perhaps your implants resulted in milk production or you have static milk in your ducts which could produce the foul smell.
You should be able to elicit this by massaging quadrants of the breast towards the nipple. You should have this submitted for possible cytologic and microbiologic studies.
The other possibility is that ruptured silicone implants can communicate with the breast ducts and leakage of silicone from the nipple can occur. In this instance the silicone can be colonized or even infected with a biofilm. This could theoretically cause a foul smelling odor.
In any case, I would highly advise you to seek professional evaluation.

Michael S. Beckenstein, MD · Answer

There is no way implants will emit any odors! There are no characterisitc odors to implants and there is no way any odors will permeate (pass through) all the layers of tissue between the implants and your skin.

Armando Soto, MD, FACS · Answer

Hi there-
I would wholeheartedly agree with my colleagues that whatever it is that is offending you and your friends, it is not the implants...
The only way the implants would cause an odor would be if they were involved in an infection. In this case, the bacteria causing the infection would produce gases that would smell foul. I doubt this could be occurring in your case, however, as in most cases of breast implant infection (because they are foreign bodies), the patient is violently ill, with high fevers, chills, severe pain and tenderness, swelling, and redness before any odor is noted. Further, the odor would only be detectable after a wound opened, allowing drainage. If you are not having these symptoms, and do not have drainage, the odor you are detecting is not from an implant infection.
In any case, I would recommend that you be examined by your family doctor and/or plastic surgeon.

Shahram Salemy, MD, FACS · Answer

This is an unusual scenario, and may represent an infection. The best person to evaluate you is the surgeon who performed your procedure-- set up a follow up visit with him or her so that they can take a good look at how you are healing and make sure no infection exists.

David Shafer, MD, FACS · Answer

Breast implants do not smell. There is something wrong. In the past there was one brand of implant that was filled with soybean oil instead of silicone and these did produce a foul odor. However, I doubt that you have these implants since they have long since be taken off the market. You really should go see your surgeon for an evaluation. Good luck.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

I have never heard of smelly breast implants. The odor is most likely from something else. If you are concerned, I would get an evaluation by your surgeon.

Robert S. Houser, DO · Answer

Some crazy things have been tried on patients over the years. I certainly agree that an odor would not be coming from the silicone implant itself, but there have been cases of implants being filled with fat and then placed for augmentation as well as the vegetable oil filled implants that were on the market in Europe at one time. If your surgery was performed in the US by a qualified Plastic Surgeon, these scenarios would be very unlikely, but people get fooled every day...

Christopher L. Hess, MD · Answer

Breast implants are packaged, shipped and inserted in a sterile fashion. In addition the silicone is inert. So it's not the implants but may be bacteria associated with the implants. Bacteria has a particularly acrid or unpleasant smell. Without knowing other information I suggest you see your surgeon immediately for an evaluation.

Hisham Seify, MD, PhD, FACS · Answer

I agree with the panel. Ruling out infection is the most important step. It is unlikely that breast implant infection would present with odor before other signs but an infected suture line might.

Kenneth R. Francis, MD, FACS · Answer

Zuelkea,
I have also never heard this complaint from any patient or experienced an odor to silicone gel implants myself.  Perhaps, you have an infection that may be causing an odor.  Alternatively, your sweat glands could be functioning abnormally due to the trauma or the denervation that occurs from surgery, and may be producing more perspiration.  Have your surgeon take a whiff.  By the way, how's the size?

Smelly Silicone Gel Breast Implants?

Answers (13)

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