When Not to Get an Implant

Here are some medical conditions under which an implant is not performed

• Cancer

Even if cancer is suspected but not completely diagnosed, a surgeon will not suggest an implant.

• Lumps

History of breast lumps can also lead to cancer. Even if you have a family history of breast cancer, you will require a complete check up as you are at a high risk of breast cancer.

• Infection

If there is a presence of infection in any part of the body, an implant is a foreign body, so the infection can travel and your implant can get infected.

• Pregnancy

When the person is pregnant, after breastfeeding the breast size shrinks quite a bit, but it comes back to its original size after some time.

Side Effects

Every surgery has some or the other side effect and you must be aware of this. An implant is a major surgery and should not be taken lightly.

It is natural that our body first rejects any foreign body. The body tries to create a hard capsule around the implant.

There are various grades to a capsular contracture. In a mild grade one, the breast shape remains normal but the breast may become firmer. Pain is one of the symptoms here.

In severe cases there is pain and scarring of the breast. But, in both cases the implant will have to be removed.

The side effects can be detected between one to two years. There is no clear evidence of silicon implant leading to connective tissue disease.

Also if you go to a high-altitude there are chances of it bursting. This happens in the case of saline implants because pressure changes can affect the implant.

Complications Involved

Some implants are pre-filled and some have to be filled. In the ones that are filled later there can be irregularities while filling the implant and this can cause the implant to deflate.

A silicone implant is difficult to detect if it is ruptured as the gel slowly spreads to the tissues first. But if it is saline based, then it is very prominent as the water spreads and the breasts suddenly become small.

To avoid implants from bursting, you need to make sure you don't put any physical pressure on the breasts. The risk involved will be 2.5 - 10%.

The most common complication is blood clot formation. Seratoma i.e. the serous fluid can get collected in the pocket that is created to place an implant and the fluid will have to be drained.
If not drained, it can lead to infection.