{"id":8332,"date":"2019-07-31T12:11:40","date_gmt":"2019-07-31T12:11:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=8332"},"modified":"2021-06-17T12:21:09","modified_gmt":"2021-06-17T12:21:09","slug":"14-truths-myths-about-breast-augmentation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/14-truths-myths-about-breast-augmentation\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Truths & Myths About Breast Augmentation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Breast augmentation is the most common type of cosmetic surgery. In the year 2015, there were almost 280,000 teenagers and women who had surgery to enlarge their breasts with either saline or silicone implants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, over 105,000 breast cancer patients received reconstruction surgery after a mastectomy. Since the year 1997, the popularity of breast implants has increased by at least double. There were also over 42,500 implant removals reported in the year 2015. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While breast augmentation has remained very popular, it is important to note that there are some debates about how safe this procedure really is. There are many confusing myths out there about the risks involved with breast augmentation. If you are considering breast augmentation, there is a chance that you have some questions and concerns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some of the more common truths and the myths surrounding breast augmentation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Breast Implant History<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The United States first saw the sale of breast implants that were made with a silicone envelope and then filled with either gel or saline during the 1960s. Sales of these implants were slow at first.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the year 1990 there were almost a million women who had breast implant surgery. There were no safety studies done on these implants and many of the women who had breast augmentation done during this time received silicone gel implants, which were preferred by most plastic surgeons at the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the United States most medical products have to be proven effective and safe before they are used. However, this was not the case for silicone breast implants <\/a>that were sold before the year 1976. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, the FDA did not have set requirements for companies creating silicone breast implants to show they were safe until the year 1991. This was almost 30 years after they first started being used. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Safety Concerns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The media began reporting on women struggling with implant issues during the early 90s. There were doctors who had concerns about the safety of implants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The studies conducted on these implants were then provided to the FDA <\/a>and the FDA determined that the data was inadequate to receive FDA approval. It was in the year 2000 that the FDA finally started requiring implant makers to prove that the implants they were making were safe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Silicone implants were approved in the fall of 2006. From 1992 through 2006, these implants were only used in clinical trials that were mainly for women who had broken implants and for breast cancer patients. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These patients were told that the implants they would be given were not yet FDA approved and they were regularly evaluated by plastic surgeons to ensure the implants were safe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Silicone implants now have FDA approval, but there are still some restrictions including that a woman must be over 22 years old in order to receive them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Local Complications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There have been many reports about the complications of breast augmentation and there are different types of complications that may occur. A local complication refers to an issue that occurs within the area of the breast<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These complications are related to the surgery or the implants. Some of the more common local complications that a woman may experience from breast augmentation include necrosis, leakage, breakage, capsular contracture, nipple numbness, breast numbness, chronic pain in the breasts, and infections. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Studies have shown that about three out of every four breast cancer patients as well as nearly half of those who have had augmentation for the first time, experience at least one type of local complications such as infection, hardening, pain, or the need for another surgery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, roughly 46 percent of people who had gel implants underwent an additional surgery in the first three years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Surgical Risks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In addition to local complications from breast augmentation, there are also surgical risks that should be considered. As with any type of surgery that a person undergoes, there is a risk from the anesthesia. Some other risks that are associated with breast augmentation surgery include infections as well as hematoma<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hematoma occurs when blood collects around the implants. Each of these risks can range from being quite mild to very severe. The risks from surgery are the highest during and right after the surgery is completed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, some complications from breast augmentation may require more surgery, which will also have some of the same risks. Some women have to face these risks more than once in order to correct issues with their implants or if the implants need to be replaced with a new one for any reason. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to discuss these risks with your doctor and be sure to voice any concerns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Breakage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One concern that many women have when considering breast augmentation is the risk of the implants breaking. It is important to note that all silicone breast implants will break at some point. It is not currently known how long the breast implants that are being used today will last. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Studies done on silicone <\/a>breast implants have suggested that most of the implants will last anywhere from seven to twelve years. However, some implants may break within the first couple of months or years after they have been placed and others may last for more than fifteen years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The chances of an implant rupturing increases each year they are in place. When the implant bursts, another surgery will need to be done in order to remove the broken implant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this time a new one can be placed if desired. This is one risk that a person must consider when they are thinking about having breast augmentation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Silicone Migration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Silicone migration is another consideration of breast augmentation. There has been research that has shown that the silicone gel that is found in implants can eventually break down when exposed to normal body temperatures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There have also been reports of leakage as well as migration of an implant into the lymph nodes as well as into the other organs. If the silicone leaks to the other organs there can be serious complications. One woman in Scotland had a broken silicone implant from her calf. She started coughing up silicone that was identical to the type used for her calf implants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since breast implants are nearer to the lungs <\/a>and larger than calf implants, the complications of migration can become serious quite quickly. It is important to make sure that you have your implants checked on a regular basis after they have been put into place. This will help to ensure that they have not moved or ruptured and if there is a problem it can be taken care of quickly.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Sicknesses<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are some myths about whether or not breast augmentation can make a woman sick. There are controversial concerns about whether implants may or may not cause a woman to become ill from the implants and not just have complications in the area of the breast. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are some reports that show evidence that implants may cause systemic diseases. It is important to note that these studies were focused on connective tissue or autoimmune diseases<\/a> among women who had only had implants over a short amount of time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both autoimmune and connective tissue diseases can take years to fully develop and then diagnosed, the studies on women who have had implants for a short time cannot be used in order to determine whether the implants were the cause. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there have been reports that indicate implants could be linked to some autoimmune diseases. These studies show that a leaking implant could cause a woman to be more likely to develop fibromyalgia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Cancers and Deaths<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One big concern for women considering breast augmentation is whether breast implants cause certain types of cancer or possibly even death. In rare cases, breast implants may cause a specific type of cancer that is referred to as anaplastic large cell lymphoma. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there is currently no research to show that implants cause a person to develop breast cancer. Mammograms <\/a>are used to detect cancer of the breast early and can potentially save a life. Unfortunately, implants delay breast cancer detection, which can increase the risk of it developing and not being caught during the earlier stages. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, a study done by the NCI found women who had implants for 12 years or more had an increased chance to die from lung cancer, respiratory diseases, and brain tumors. In addition, these women had a higher suicide rate when compared to other patients of plastic surgery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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