Breast Implants: Understanding the risks
Breast implants are used for cosmetic enhancement or reconstruction after surgeries like mastectomy. They are usually silicone or saline-filled and can be placed over or under the chest muscle.
Implants don’t last forever—typically 10–20 years. The risk of rupture or complications increases over time. While mammograms are still possible with implants (if you haven’t had a mastectomy), inform the clinic in advance. Mastectomy patients usually need alternative imaging like ultrasounds or MRIs. Mammograms rarely cause implant rupture, though older implants are more vulnerable.
Some women can breastfeed with implants; others can’t—especially if implants followed a mastectomy.
Short-term complications include pain, infection, or changes in breast sensation.
Long-term issues may involve implant drooping, rupture, or capsular contracture—hard scar tissue forming around the implant.
Ruptures may happen during surgery, from trauma (e.g., car accidents), or rarely during procedures like biopsies. If a silicone implant breaks, the gel leaks slowly and isn’t absorbed by the body. Symptoms may include swelling, pain, lumps, or none at all (“silent rupture”). Ultrasounds or MRIs are used to check for damage. While regular screening is recommended in the U.S., Australia has no official guideline.
Implants do not increase the risk of breast cancer but can make it harder to detect.
Since 2012, implant details in Australia are recorded in the Australian Breast Device Registry for recall tracking.
Some women report unexplained symptoms—like fatigue or joint pain—known as breast implant illness, which may improve after removal, though the exact cause is unclear.
