There has been a long discussion over many years whether breast implants are safe or not. Breast implants are among the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures. There is simply no other option available to increase breast volume.
Increasing breast size is a personal decision. While there is rarely a medical reason for it, getting breast implants and bigger breasts can have a big positive psychological impact on women. However, it also means to accept potential risks. Many would like to accept any risk in order to get bigger breasts.
With breast implants you can change the size and also the shape of your breast. For many women this means an improvement of life quality and is therefore worth the risk. Like any other cosmetic surgery procedure, a breast implant surgery has risks as well.
Per year there are over 250,000 breast implant surgeries performed and the numbers are increasing. About 7% have their implants removed again. Breast implants are for augmentation and reconstruction, a pure cosmetic surgery only. You can choose between saline and silicone filled implants. Some implants allow a change in the volume even after surgery.
Saline-filled breast implants are FDA approved, silicon implants not yet. Silicone is assumed to be biologically inactive and therefore safe but over the years many women claimed that their implants would cause tissue or neurological diseases or even cancer. Till now it is still unclear whether silicon implants are totally safe or not.
Another risk is a tightening and squeezing of the scar tissue around the implant. It can change the shape of the breast, cause pain and require a surgery. Rupture can occur anytime. Saline filled implants would only leak salt water which is not dangerous but the impact of leaked silicon is still unknown. It is advised to remove the broken implant.
Another potential risk is nerve damage which could lead to a change in sensation in the nipple and tissue. You should also know that you most likely will have more than one surgery over time because of the complications. Breast implants will not last a lifetime. There are women who believe that implants have destroyed their health and lifes while others are very happy with implants.
There are still many questions that have to be answered before you have a breast implant. If you decide for a breast implant surgery, make sure you choose an experienced surgeon who can answer your questions and has a proven track record.
By: Hillary Nehls