If I have mold or fungus around or in my breast implant do I need to have an en bloc removal? Do I need to have any tests done?

Question

Got my implants in 2005 at 27yrs. old: Mentor 350cc Saline High Profile. Been having odd health problems (severe fatigue, hypothyroid symptoms but normal test results, memory loss, brain fog, severe hair loss) starting 2 years after implants. One of my beasts constantly itches and is tender to the touch. Mammogram shows no masses in the tissue. My surgeon doesn't think I need an en block removal but I believe my health problems are due to my implants and possible mold or yeast in or around the implant.

Heather J. Furnas, MD · Answer

During the 1990s after silicone breast implants were pulled off the market, there was a groundswell of information disseminated about the correlation between silicone gel breast implants and assorted maladies such as you've described. At that time the theory was the short silicone gel molecule of the leaked out and bound with a protein in the body to become the active ingredient causing these problems. The solid silicone molecule from the shell of both silicone gel implants and saline implants were felt to be too long to bind to the protein in the body, which was why saline implants were felt not to cause problems.However, a small group of people said even the saline implants caused problems.Of course, the stories were convincing. Women had multiple maladies after they had breast implants, and some felt better after the implants were removed. Newspapers reported that some women with implants were so panicked that they committed suicide, and one cut out her own implants. It wasn't until scientific controlled studies were performed that it became clear that those maladies supposedly caused by the implants also occurred in women without silicone implants. Anecdotal evidence is convincing, which is why controlled studies are so important.The FDA and a committee of several specialists reviewed the enormous body of studies that were finally done and established that there was no clear  association between silicone gel implants and those symptoms. In 2006 they released silicone gel implants for breast augmentation use.The mold and fungus problem has become another concern that patients read about now and become worried. While it is unlikely that you have fungus, assuming you want to a board-certified plastic surgeon who performed your breast augmentation in an accredited facility, the concern about it can be crippling. You could get a second opinion from an infectious disease specialist who would be familiar with the symptoms associated with a fungus infection. However, it is more likely that your symptoms are the result of something else. You should consult with your primary care doctor who may have you consult with an appropriate specialist.Good luck, and I hope you find the answer and improvement of your symptoms.Click on the link below to see a silicone gel implant ready for insertion with a Keller funnel.

Frederic H. Corbin, MD (license restricted) · Answer

I agree totally with Dr Furnas and might add that saline implants are generally filled at the time of surgery via a closed system preventing contamination and filled with the same sterile saline used in IVsDr Corbin

If I have mold or fungus around or in my breast implant do I need to have an en bloc removal? Do I need to have any tests done?

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If I have mold or fungus around or in my breast implant do I need to have an en bloc removal? Do I need to have any tests done?

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Everything you need to know about Mentor Breast Implants

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.