What Should You Do if Your Implants Rupture?
Posted January 05, 2021 in Breast Implant Rupture
4 Minute Read: Breast augmentation surgery remains one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures for women worldwide. Cosmetic surgery techniques and research regarding breast augmentation continue to evolve. Many new procedures are now available to offer women options to look and feel their best with minimal risk and optimum safety. Breast enhancement surgeries, including breast implants and fat grafting, are designed to be as safe and long lasting as possible, with many surgeons and researchers making ongoing attempts to improve outcomes and safety.
However, implants are not natural and were never designed to be permanent lifelong devices.
Like anything else, the effects of time can change how breast implants look, feel, or position themselves. Since every woman and every procedure is different, it can be hard to tell if or what changes may occur. Women who underwent breast augmentation surgery with breast implants may find themselves unsatisfied years later due to changes, such as sagging or drooping breasts, increased skin elasticity, changes in breast position, or even a ruptured implant.
It can be frightening to think of the possibility that complications from breast implants may arise, especially from a ruptured implant. However, Dr. Strawn’s office is always on hand to help any woman who has experienced a ruptured breast implant get the problem solved while still maintaining her desired cosmetic appearance.
How Does an Implant Rupture Happen?
Breast implant ruptures can occur after repeated bending, pressure, or other trauma breaks down the outer shell of the implant, causing the material inside the implant to escape. This typically happens several years after the initial surgery when aging and wear can make the outer shell of the implant weaker. Most implant ruptures are not considered to be life-threatening, but immediate attention is warranted.
What Are the Signs of Implant Rupture?
With saline implants, the outer shell of the implant may rupture or “pop” when wear and tear or trauma affects the implant; this causes the saline solution inside the implant to leak out and spill into the breast pocket and is usually subsequently absorbed into the body. A saline rupture is typically not considered dangerous, as the saline water is sterile and can be safely absorbed by the body, but there is no guaranteed absence of contaminants.
Silicone implants are more likely to leak or ooze rather than just pop like a saline implant, and because of the gel-like nature of the silicone inside the implant, the leak may be much slower than with a saline implant rupture. This means many women may not notice a silicone implant rupture right away.
Signs that a rupture may have happened include:
- Sudden increase or decrease in breast size, especially with saline implants
- A drastic change in breast appearance
- Breasts that feel painful, tender, or swollen
- Hardening or lumps in breast tissue
