What Are the Risk with Flying with Saline Breast Implants?

Aircraft cabins are pressurized so that the pressure within the cabin is the same as on the ground.  This should pose no threat to your breast implants whether they are saline or silicone gel.  Another question that I frequently get is if you can SCUBA dive with implants.  The answer to that one is also yes.

 

There are none of which I am aware.

After your breast augmentation surgery, and once you are over the early healing phase (2-4 weeks), you are meant to begin to forget you had the surgery. There are no specific activities that I advise my patients to avoid at that time.

By the way, there never was (nor is there to this day) any serious evidence that silicone gel breast implants have a relationship with immune disorders in humans. These are the likely the most intensively studied medical devices in the history of humanity. As long ago as the mid-1990s the American College of Rheumatology issued a position paper stating that there was no evidence of a relationship between silicone gel implants and immune disease. They have not changed their position since that time.

Still, the final choice of implant is up to you and you must be comfortable with your choice.

Good luck!

Thanks for the question. You should be able to go on vacation by 3-4 weeks after your surgery. But this is valid only with assuming postoperative recovery is uneventful. If any unexpected incident happens in your treatment process, this time can be extended or shortened. I wish you all the best.

Hello! Thank you for your question! Altitude and pressure have no effect on breast implants, whether saline or silicone. It is safe to travel by air or even scuba dive without concern. No further precautions should be taken during these activities. Certainly, discuss any concerns with your surgeon prior. Best wishes!

Both saline and silicone breast implants are safe when considering flying. Millions of women have flown after both saline and silicone breast augmentation surgery. Many patients travel to to Florida for their jacksonville breast augmentation surgery and return home via plane within the first few weeks after surgery without any incidence or complications. 

I have performed augmentation on several fighter, transport, and helicopter pilots and none of them have ever experienced any problems with their implants -- even when pulling several G's in fighters.

For some reason I have been asked about flying and implants by several patients in the last several months -- there must be some thread out on the internet that is making people nervous.

I am unaware of any risks associated with implants and flying.

Most of the horror stories that you have heard regarding silicone implants are nothing more than stories being propogated on the internet.  In  my Salt Lake City, UT breast augmentation practice I perform hundreds of augmentation each year with silicone (and saline) implants and have not seen any patients with immune system problems etc.

It may help to remember here that there are a lot of flight attendants with implants and I can't think of even a theoretical reason why it would be unsafe. I also have to say that the silicone gel implants that are approved for use in the U.S. are also safe. The question of immune reaction to silicone has been very extensively investigated and no clinically significant connection has been found.

I have never ever heard that the valve of a saline implant can open during flying even despite pressure changes, so no worries

stay safe and thank  you for all you do for us overseas!!

You are perfectly safe flying with saline implants. There are minor pressure changes with flying but all airline cabins are pressurized and I have never heard of the valve from a saline implant flying open. Quite frankly, that kind of statement sounds ridiculous to me. Get your saline implants and feel free to travel by air. Good luck.

It is safe to fly with either saline or silicone gel implants. You should not be worried about silicone gel implants. There are numerous retrospective studies of the old silicone gel style implants put in millions of women as well as prospective studies of the new style silicone gel implants that show there is no higher likelihood of any medical problem in patients with silicone gel implants than people without implants at all.