The Breast Implant Controversy
The breast implant industry has long been a profitable one. Millions of women throughout the world have opted for this cosmetic surgery. In fact, breast implants rank number two in elective plastic surgical procedures. Women are looking for self- esteem and a shapely figure while doctors are looking to help them achieve these goals and gain from a highly profitable cosmetic procedure. One would assume this is a win-win situation for all. So why all the controversy? That is a question that is on a lot of women’s minds. In order to take a closer look at this multi- million dollar industry, we first must back track a little to see just how and why breast implants came to be.
The History of Breast Implants
Back in the days of World War II, women in Japan found that enhancing their bosoms for American soldiers increased their profits as waitresses, bargirls and escorts. Injections made from liquid silicone were given directly into the breasts for enlargement purposes. Soon women were experiencing complications from these injections such as migration of silicone to other parts of the body, blood clots, infection and even death. Unfortunately, while doctors in Japan were studying the dangers of silicone injections, American doctors had begun to follow in their footsteps injecting American women with silicone for the purpose of breast enlargement. In the early sixties doctors began to see that injecting silicone straight into the body was a huge health risk. Companies began to address this problem with the invention of the silicone implant. These implants were made of a harder version of silicone and the inside of the implant was filled with liquid silicone. The main idea was that the silicone could not migrate to other parts of the body or cause complications. The makers of these implants believed that the implants would last a lifetime and even a bad car accident could not rupture them. Soon they were proven wrong.
Problems That May Be Associated With Silicone Implants
Here are some of the problems reported by women since silicone breast implants were first put on the market some forty years ago. This is not to say that all women with silicone implants will suffer from any or all of these problems. Keep in mind that according to studies held in the US and Japan, most women will not experience any symptoms except perhaps capsular contracture prior to having the implant for at least nine years. So if a woman has had implants for a couple of years she may think that she is alright. The problem with this kind of thinking is that she has no idea what the long term affects may be on her body and immune system. She also has no way of knowing if her implants are leaking. This list is designed to inform you about some of the possible complications that go with breast enhancement.- Capsular contracture commonly known as hardening of the breasts. Hardening occurs when fibrous scar tissue forms around the implant. This is a foreign object being placed in your chest cavity and your body’s natural instinct is to fight it. This holds true for other types of implants such as the penile implant.
- Ruptures, leaks and bleeding from the implant. This almost always will occur in all implants. Some will leak slightly, some will leak more. Once a leak or rupture occurs, migration to other parts of the body may happen and the central nervous system can be affected.
- Frequent replacement. There is no such thing as a life time guarantee on an implant.
- Each person's implants will last for a different amount of time, but none last a lifetime.
- Flu like symptoms, headaches, weakness and chronic fatigue have all been reported.
- Auto-immune diseases such as scheraderma, rheumatoid arthritis and systematic lupus.
- Myocitis
- Hair loss
- Joint pain
- Rashes on upper chest, back and neck
- Complications when breastfeeding. Breast milk can be affected with silicone leakage. Babies that were breast fed by mothers with implants have tested positive for atypical autoimmune diseases
- Birth defects in children whose mothers have implants have been a topic of conversation
- Fibromyalgia
- Some patients test positive for antinuclear antibodies, entities that attack your body tissue
- Sensory loss in hands and feet
- Memory loss
- Insomnia and night sweats
- Loss of libido
- Shortness of breath
- Disfigurement when implants harden
- Lung problems due to migration of the silicone
- Tooth decay or breaking off of teeth.
- May be harder to detect breast cancer
- Possible death
Problems That May Be Associated With Saline Implants
When saline implants were first introduced on the market they appeared to be the answer to the silicone controversy. Now saline implants are proving to have a whole new set of problems.
- Silicone poisoning from the shell that encases the saline because this envelope is still made of silicone. Many of the same problems are occurring as with the silicone gel implants.
- Contamination upon putting the implant in if not handled properly. This is due to the fact the implant arrives deflated and the doctor has to fill it through a valve. Saline can become exposed to contaminates during this process.
- Saline can acquire fungi from disease causing microbes such as Ecoli that grow.
- Asymmetrical or wrinkled breasts
- Low grade fever, dry eyes and mouth
- Scratchy feeling in chest
- Hair loss
- Memory loss, slurred speech
- Deflation is more obvious with saline implants because the implant goes flat all at once. Some studies have found that it only takes a small puncture the size of a pinhole to cause a saline implant to deflate completely.
The FDA and its Role in the Implant Controversy.
- Because implants were first introduced before there were regulations put on medical devices, implants were not examined and were allowed to remain on the market. Unfortunately, after requirements on medical device safety were put into effect, devices that were considered top priority such as pacemakers were at the top of the list.
- In 1992 the FDA decided to limit silicone implants to clinical trials and for women in need of reconstructive surgery. This came on the heels of a 73 million dollar class action suit against a major manufacturer of implants. The lawsuit brought against the manufacturer claimed that the company had evidence of complications and concealed this information from the public. On the heels of this major win for women with silicone implants, a Texas woman won 25 million dollars in a suit against a silicone implant manufacturer.
- Today saline implants remain on the market and the controversy rages on. There has been recent talk about reinstating silicone implants, but so far this is still under investigation by the FDA.
