Breast augmentation is an elective operation with potential benefits and risks, including the possibility of further surgery. Patients considering implants should review those risks and discuss any new symptoms with their healthcare professionals. This article explains what is known, and what remains uncertain, about symptoms sometimes called breast implant illness.
How common is breast implant disease: definition and symptoms
Breast implant complications can include infection, delayed healing, capsular contracture, and rupture. Anesthesia also carries risks. These problems require medical assessment and may need treatment or additional surgery. Systemic symptoms described as breast implant illness are a separate concern and should not be assumed to have the same cause in every patient. Breast implant illness (BII) is a term patients and clinicians use for systemic symptoms reported after breast implantation. It is not a formal medical diagnosis with an established diagnostic test. Research is ongoing, and uncertainty about the cause does not mean a patient's symptoms should be dismissed. As we mentioned, to know how common breast implant disease is, it is necessary to consider a series of symptoms that people who undergo these surgeries may suffer from. Muscle and joint pain, chronic fatigue, rashes or other skin problems, hair loss, dry eyes and mouth, various respiratory problems, memory and concentration problems, normal sleep disturbances, recurrent headaches, problems gastrointestinal, anxiety and depression. Although the list may seem extensive, it is about very common problems, which can appear for very different reasons, and whose combination and severity vary from person to person. This makes the diagnosis very complex, since it is not easy to identify that any of these symptoms may be due to the placement of implants. Symptoms attributed to BII can overlap with autoimmune conditions and other health problems. Symptoms alone do not establish that implants caused an autoimmune disease. Tell your clinician about existing diagnoses and new symptoms so other possible explanations can be evaluated.How is breast implant disease diagnosed and how common is it
There is no specific test or universally recognized set of criteria that confirms BII. A medical assessment should consider symptoms, health history, implant history, examination findings, and other possible causes. FDA adverse-event reports cannot establish how common these symptoms are among all implant patients or prove that an implant caused an individual report. If you develop symptoms, seek a medical evaluation rather than diagnosing yourself from a symptom list. You can also contact Dr. Carlos Spera's office to discuss your implant history and surgical concerns. Your healthcare professionals may recommend additional assessment or referral based on your findings.What are the causes of breast implant disease
Systemic symptoms have been reported with both saline-filled and silicone gel-filled implants. Reports involving both types do not establish an identical risk or a single cause. Discuss the risks and uncertainties of the specific implant being considered; no implant choice can guarantee that systemic symptoms will not occur. The cause of these systemic symptoms remains uncertain. Immune responses and other possible mechanisms are being studied, but no single explanation has been established for every patient. It would be misleading to assume that silicone spreading through the body explains an individual person's symptoms. Implant removal is not a definitive diagnostic test for BII and does not guarantee symptom relief. Some patients report improvement afterward; others do not. Discuss possible benefits, surgical risks, alternatives, and continued medical evaluation with your healthcare team. A consultation with Dr. Carlos Spera can address implant concerns and removal options without promising a diagnosis or a cure.Sources: FDA information on systemic symptoms reported with breast implants; FDA implant risks and complications; clinical guidance on evaluating systemic symptoms. This article is general information and does not replace an individual medical assessment.
