Women seeking to improve the size and appearance of their breasts may want to reconsider, and at the very least, inform themselves of the myriad of side effects that go hand-in-hand with breast implants. Although there are many potential downfalls to breast augmentation, this article will highlight the top five risks that women take when they undergo the procedure.
If you are considering implant surgery it is important to realize that opting for the lowest price is probably not the best idea. Breast augmentation costs that seem too low in comparison to others probably are just that; too low to be any good.
1. Breast implants can hinder mammogram screenings.
Women over the age of 40 are encouraged by medical experts to undergo regular mammograms to screen for breast cancer. According to the FDA, the implants can prevent the radiology technicians from obtaining an adequate view of the breast tissue. Therefore, it's important for women who have breast implants to seek a radiology technician who has taken x-rays of augmented breasts. Not only that, but once you have breast implants, you may require additional procedures aside from the mammogram to ensure your breasts are cancer-free, such as an ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging(MRI). Overall, breast implants can make it harder to detect the early stages of breast cancer, which is exactly the time you would want to discover it for an optimal prognosis.
2. Scar tissue may become a serious hindrance and may necessitate the need for a repeat procedure.
According to the FDA, scar tissue forms around the area where the breast implant is inserted, because it's the body's natural way of healing. Medical experts call this scar tissue a capsule. Unfortunately, this capsule can sometimes tighten around the implant, and in more severe cases, it can be so uncomfortable that a repeat procedure may be necessary to replace the implant.
3. Even those women who are satisfied with the appearance of their breasts after augmentation may learn that their satisfaction comes at a price. Loss of breast sensitivity is another side effect of the breast implant procedure. This loss of sensitivity can affect intimacy with one's sexual partner, and may cause more problems for breastfeeding mothers. The loss of sensitivity is often temporary, but sometimes it can be permanent.
4. As with any type of surgery, there is always a risk of infection. This often occurs a few days to week after surgery. If the infection is not treatable with antibiotics, the implant may have to be removed and the procedure repeated.
5. One of the more recent complications that has come to light is the increase in a certain type of lymphoma among women who have breast implants. In 2011, the FDA issued a news release stating that data that they had reviewed indicated a possible link in both saline and silicone implants to a rare cancer called anaplastic large cell lymphoma. The cancer may develop in the scar capsule, they said. However, more research is needed to determine if there is a definitive link.
The aforementioned reasons are only a few among many considerations to take into account before undergoing a breast augmentation procedure. Although it may be necessary for a person who has undergone a medical procedure that has disfigured her breast, it is overkill for most healthy women. For women who merely want to approve the appearance of their natural breasts, there are a variety of natural and safe alternatives to augmentation.
