Breast Augmentation Risks

Breast augmentation surgery is not dangerous in and of itself, but no surgery is without risks and these risks must be considered seriously before you decide to have the surgery. With all surgery, the risks of serious complications go up if you have any type of underlying health condition, such as asthma, heart disease, or diabetes. Generally, smokers are also at greater risk of complications with any type of surgery. The risks of any type of surgery include excessive bleeding, a bad reaction to anesthesia, and infection. There may be areas of tissue and skin that die because they are cut off from their blood supply or due to infection.

The risks specific to breast augmentation include excess scaring at the incisions and loss of sensation in the skin over the breast and in the nipple. This loss of sensitivity is usually temporary, but may be permanent in some cases.

Some women who have implants develop a condition called capsular contracture. The body normally forms some scar tissue around a foreign object like a breast implant. Sometimes, this scar tissue contracts and causes pain. The implant may become misshapen and feel hard. Capsular contracture can occur in both breasts or only one. It is often the reason breast implants must be removed and replaced.

Breast implants may rupture or leak. If a saline implant ruptures or leaks, the entire implant can deflate within a few minutes to a few hours. The implant must then be replaced. A silicone-filled implant may rupture or leak without any symptoms, which is why the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that women who have these implants undergo screening of their breasts with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) every few years.

In addition to medical problems resulting from breast augmentation surgery, you may be unhappy with the results. The implants may not be symmetrical, may be too large or too small, or they may move out of place. You may also have visible rippling or contour irregularities.

Disclaimers