Breast Implants: The Technology and Materials Involved

The technology and materials behind breast implants have come a long way in a short time. When they were first introduced, materials used to augment women’s breasts were prone to rupture, move within the chest wall, and succumb easily to mild or moderate trauma and activity. Silicone was a popular liquid used to fill the breast augmentation bags during initial popularity of the procedure. Silicone was preferred over saline for its natural look and feel.

Unfortunately, women soon discovered that silicone was messy and even downright risky if or when the casing ruptured or slowly leaked within the chest wall. After years of study, silicone has now been linked to possible cases of breast and other cancers. And yet, the popularity of this elective cosmetic surgery continued to soar. It was time for the industry to respond to a growing need for a healthier option. Wouldn’t it be possible to provide breast implants without increasing a woman’s risk of cancer?

The answer is yes. Saline is a very popular alternative to silicone because it is a material that is naturally found in the body. As such, the cells of the body are able to easily absorb excess saline if an implant slowly leaks or abruptly ruptures. This means there is virtually no mess to clean up inside the chest wall and there is no risk for increased cancer in breast tissue. However, a ruptured saline implant is still a ruptured implant. This means that the time and money spent placing the augmentation has been wasted. Further revision surgeries (and more money) are required to fix the ruptured or leaking casing and replace it with a new one.

A lot of the risk of rupture and leakage can be reduced by closely following your physician’s post-operative instructions. The implant is most vulnerable directly after surgery, before tissues in the chest wall have had a chance to develop and cement it into place. Chest wall muscle and fat tissue is removed and parted in order to make room for the augmentation. These tissues will initially become inflamed and then relax around the augmentation casing as the body accepts this foreign material. It is important to avoid vigorous sexual activity or strenuous exercise during this time. Many women fail to take necessary precautions during their recovery period and hinder the healing process. This leaves the breast implants susceptible to rupture and leakage later on.

Many women are concerned about the way their surgery heals on the outside and the scarring left behind. Equally important is the healing that occurs on the inside. Excessive scar formation or adhesions inside the chest wall can compromise the stability of the implant and its location.

Take care of your augmentation surgery. Be sure to find a surgeon that you trust and follow their pre- and post-operative instructions closely. Their goal is to keep you healthy and to make sure you are happy with the results of your breast implants for years to come.