Breast Implants and Your Health - Lakeview Plastic Surgery

3000 N. Halsted St., Suite 709, Chicago, Illinois 60657

BREAST IMPLANTS & YOUR HEALTH

As common as breast implants are, there is a lot of scary talk out there about them. The two biggest topics discussed are Breast Implant Illness and BIA-ALCL. These are two separate and unrelated things, and I’ll discuss the basics below.

BREAST IMPLANT ILLNESS (BII)

Breast implant illness refers to a collection of symptoms that can occur after women get breast implants. It is not a recognized medical diagnosis, as there are no tests or studies that show a link between breast implants and these symptoms. Described symptoms include joint and muscle pains, brain fog, fatigue, dry eyes, hair loss, and trouble concentrating. Some women believe implants cause an autoimmune reaction responsible for these symptoms and feel very strongly that removal of the implants and surrounding scar tissue (called the capsule) is the key to a cure.

There is no test to confirm that someone has BII, and surgery to remove the implants is not always successful in resolving symptoms. Therefore, the decision to remove implants for symptom improvement is made on a case-by-case basis. Implants, and sometimes the capsule tissue, can be removed, provided the patient is in good health, following a thorough discussion of what is to be expected after removal.

For further reading, please click below to visit The Aesthetic Society’s Breast Implant Resources page.

BREAST IMPLANT ASSOCIATED ANAPLASTIC LARGE CELL LYMPHOMA (BIA-ALCL)

BIA-ALCL is an incredibly rare type of lymphoma (blood cancer) that can form in the tissues around a breast implant. Out of the many millions of women worldwide who have breast implants, about 1,200 women have been diagnosed with BIA-ALCL. Furthermore, we now know that BIA-ALCL only occurs in association with textured implants. Even in women with textured implants, the risk of developing BIA-ALCL is between 1 in 2,000 to 1 in 86,000.

The best way to prevent this altogether is to avoid using textured-surface implants. Dr. Shore only offers smooth implants in her practice.

If you have a history of a textured implant, and are concerned about your risk, know that your risk of developing BIA-ALCL is still very low. However, it is important to follow-up with a plastic surgeon on a regular basis for routine implant checks, and it is especially important to immediately get examined if your breast undergoes any noticeable changes like marked swelling, mass development, or skin thickening/color change.

Please click below to visit The American Society of Plastic Surgeons BIA-ALCL Resources Page.

BREAST IMPLANT ASSOCIATED SQUAMOUS CELL CARINOMA (BIA-SCC)

BIA-SCC is another type of extremely rare cancer that can form in the capsule tissues around breast implants. As of this writing, only 16 confirmed cases have been reported.

Please click below to visit the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ website.