About Silicone
Breast Implants
If you are one of the thousands of women who are not satisfied with the shape of their chest, you may have considered getting breast implants. Silicone breast implants are the most popular type of implant. But before you sign up for this cosmetic surgery, make sure you know the risks and potential benefits of the procedure.
History
Women have been seeking medical help to change their breast size since the late 1800s. Silicone gel-filled breast implants hit the market in 1962, giving women a way to increase their breast size while maintaining the natural feel of the breast. In 1988, the FDA announced that the safety of silicone breast implants was questionable. In 1992, after many women complained of illness or pain due to the implants leaking, the FDA took them off of the mainstream cosmetic-surgery market, but allowed them for women who needed breast reconstruction. Gradually, studies showed that there was not a significant risk of serious disease from the implants, and in 2006, a new type of silicone breast implant was approved for general use in women 22 years of age and older.
Features
Silicone breast implants are more popular than other implants because they give the breast a more natural feel. Silicone implants are made out of silicone gel, which is soft and gives at the touch, in the same way natural breast tissue does. Silicone gel is made by mixing medium-molecular-weight silicon with oxygen, hydrogen and carbon. The breast implants used today are made with three outer layers (called a shell) and filled with silicone gel.
Theories/Speculation
Silicone breast implants have been under close scrutiny in recent years. Many women have claimed that the implants caused connective-tissue disorders, supposedly from the gel leaking from the implant. However, no studies have shown a provable correlation between silicone implants and connective-tissue disorders. Others have speculated that silicone breast implants lead to breast cancer. The Institute of Medicine, along with a variety of other medical authorities, has not been able to find a connection between the implants and breast cancer.
Considerations
If you are considering breast implants, you need to understand a little about the procedure and the risks associated with the implants. Breast implantation is a serious surgery requiring general anesthetic and a hospital stay. All of the risks associated with surgery, including reaction to the anesthetic and infection, are risks of this surgery. Also keep in mind that breast implants last for about 10 years and then need to be replaced--so if you intend to keep your new curves, you will have to undergo the procedure again.
Warning
Silicone breast implants pose a few unique risks to patients. One is the risk of extrusion of the implant. This occurs when the body rejects the implant and attempts to push it out of the skin. This requires immediate removal of the implant. Loss of sensitivity in the nipples and skin on the breast is a common side effect, but it is usually temporary. Around 5 percent of all breast-implant patients will develop capsular contracture, a condition in which the scar tissue around the implant squeezes and contracts the device, which makes the breast look deformed, and can lead to rupture. Again, this requires that the implant be removed.
Expert Insight
Many women wonder if they will be able to breastfeed their babies after receiving silicone breast implants. As long as the incision site does not interfere with the milk ducts, breast implants do not interfere with the ability to breastfeed. Other women wonder about the dangers associated with ruptured implants. Research has not yet shown the dangers of a ruptured silicone implant, but doctors recommend that any ruptured implants be removed as soon as possible to prevent complications.
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