Risks Of Breast Augmentation 2024

In cosmetic surgery, breast augmentation involves enlarging the breasts. Breast augmentation is sometimes called a "boob job" or a "breast enlargement." Most often, implants are used, but fat from another part of your body can also be used. It's important to be aware of breast augmentation complications, whether you're considering breast augmentation with implants or fat transfer. There are risks associated with this surgical procedure.

The Risks of Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentations of different types share certain risks. This is due to the fact that it's a surgical procedure requiring incisions, anesthesia, and sedation. Among the general complications of breast augmentation are:

Temporary pain

Infection

Bleeding

Hematoma

Swelling and bruising

A feeling of tightness in the chest

Anesthesia risks (such as allergic reaction)

Poor scarring

Changes in breast or nipple sensation

Persistent pain

The possibility of needing revision surgery

Breast Augmentation Complications with Breast Implants

There are risks associated with breast augmentation with breast implants. Breast implants may cause the following complications:

The asymmetry, pain, and undesirable appearance of a capular contracture are caused by the implant becoming abnormally tight and thick

A ruptured implant

Implant in the wrong position or in a faulty position

Over time, the skin over the implant will wrinkle

Implants that form tight scar tissue

A breast implant with noticeable folds or creases

Rotation of the breast implant

Lack of breast milk production after breast reconstruction or inability to breastfeed

Implant rejection

Risks Associated with Breast Implants

The following types of breast implants are available:

Implants filled with silicone gel

The use of sterile saltwater for filling implants with saline

Implants made from gummy bears (using thick gel)

There are potential complications associated with each.

Gel-Filled Silicone Implants

Implants filled with saline are more prone to ruptures than implants filled with saline. They are known as silent ruptures because they are more difficult to detect. It is possible for silicone to spread outside the breast when an implant ruptures, although the silicone stays inside the body. Having silicone in the body does not increase the risk of disease, but if the implant ruptures, your plastic surgeon will remove the implant and the loose silicone gel. As a result, ruptured silicone breast implants can cause breast pain or change the shape of the breast. MRI scans are the only way to detect silent ruptures. The FDA recommends that women with silicone gel breast implants get a scan three years after the plastic surgery.

With silicone implants, there is less risk of rippling of the skin than with saline implants.

Cosmetic surgeons must make a larger incision for placing silicone breast implants because they are filled before they are inserted. There is a greater risk of scarring when scars are larger.

Implants containing saline

Silicone implants are more susceptible to ruptures than metal implants. During a rupture, the breast changes shape quickly as saltwater leaks out. It causes no harm to the body to absorb that saline solution.

In order to place saline breast implants, a cosmetic surgeon makes a smaller incision than he or she would for silicone gel implants. Scarring is therefore less likely to occur.

Gummy Bear Implants

When compared to both silicone and saline implants, there is less risk of rupture and leakage. The strength of gummy bear implants is responsible for this.

Leaks from gummy bear implants are more difficult to detect than leaks from saline-filled implants. An example of a silent rupture can be found here.

The texture of gummy bear implants helps the breast tissue grow into the texture, similar to Velcro®. This greatly reduces the risk of the implants rotating and shifting inside the chest.

Gummy bear implants have a risk of capsular contracture, but it's less than the risk of capsular contracture with both saline and silicone implants.

Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma

BIA-ALCL, or breast implant-associated lymphoma (cancer), is a rare complication around breast implants. BIA-ALCL is not a form of breast cancer, it is an immune system cancer. Patients with breast implants with textured surfaces are more likely to experience this problem.

Early detection gives patients the best chances of a quick recovery, since the condition is highly treatable and curable. BIA-CLCL symptoms, such as pain, rashes on the skin, breast enlargement, asymmetry, or hardening of the breast, should be evaluated by a doctor who can provide treatment recommendations.

Breast Implant-Associated Illness

Self-reporting of this condition is known as BIAI or BII (breast implant illness). Women who believe they have BIAI report many common symptoms, including:

Fatigue

Chest pain

Hair loss

Headaches

Chills

Photosensitivity

Chronic pain

Rash

Anxiety

Brain fog

Sleep disturbance

In order to understand why these symptoms occur and how breast implant removal can help, more research is needed. Nevertheless, many patients experience relief from these symptoms after having their breast implants removed.

Breast Implant Removal

If you experience any complications with your breast implant, removing it is always an option. An implant that moves or ruptures can be removed and replaced by a plastic surgeon during revision surgery.

Consult your surgeon right away if you notice a problem with your implant. In a consultation, he or she can determine what happened and whether you need to have your breast implants removed.

Breast Augmentation Risks: Fat Transfer

The fat transferred to your breasts is taken from other parts of your body, such as your thighs, belly, or buttocks. Through liposuction, a plastic surgeon can remove fat from the body by breaking it up and sucking it up. If you are seeking a relatively small increase in breast size with a natural-looking result, this breast augmentation procedure is ideal for you. Despite its advantages over implants, this breast procedure has its own risks. The following are among them:

Cysts

The death of fat cells (necrosis)

It is possible that some of the transferred fat cells will leave the breast area - Up to 50% of the fat injected into the breast may be absorbed by your body. The final result of your breast reconstruction cannot be fully predicted by your plastic surgeon.

Maintaining your desired breast shape requires touch-up injections

Using fat injections for breast augmentation can interfere with mammograms, which are used to detect breast cancer. Although these calcifications are different from those associated with breast cancer, they may necessitate more frequent breast biopsies (which have their own risks). It is particularly important for women with a family history of breast cancer.

Self-Care During Recovery Can Help Reduce These Risks

You must take care of yourself when recovering from breast augmentation surgery. Several things you can do to help your new look get off to a great start will be recommended by your cosmetic surgeon. Among them are:

For the first few weeks after surgery, sleep on your back rather than on your front or side. This will prevent you from putting pressure on the implants, which could alter their shape.

Maintaining the correct position of implants and transferred fat with a surgical support bra.

Taking a week off from work, not exercising moderately for three weeks, and not exercising strenuously for six weeks. In this way, you will be able to heal as quickly as possible. After breast augmentation surgery, straining your muscles too soon after surgery can result in an implant rupturing, changing position, or becoming deformed.

Discuss Breast Augmentation Complications with a Plastic Surgeon

It is possible for a surgery to have complications. In addition to your body type, medical history, allergies, medications you take, and other factors, there are many risks associated with breast augmentation complications. A cosmetic surgeon can help you better understand these factors if you book a consultation with him or her, since he or she has the knowledge and experience to help. Both of you can choose a breast augmentation procedure that's safest for you and that produces the best results for you.