Silicone Breast Implants

Posted on Friday, October 19th, 2012 by Dr. Babak Dadvand

The FDA took silicone implants off the market back in 1992 amidst reports that the silicone product was causing a wide variety of ailments in women who had the implants and had them leak. Many studies were done to prove one way or another that the silicone was responsible for one or all of the ailments afflicting these women. There was no conclusive evidence that pointed to the silicone within the implants as being directly or indirectly responsible for the ailments that were being attributed to the implants.

After years of testing and reformulation of the silicone implants, a new generation of gel silicone implants was FDA approved in November 2006. The shell of these new implants are silicone just as they were with the older generation, but the silicone in the new generation implants had a more gel-like consistency. This is unlike the older generation which was more honey-like in consistency.

Still there is a lot of fear and trepidation about silicone implants.  The new silicone implants are one of the most highly studied and scrutinized medical devices in any field of medicine.  Today’s silicone breast implants are better made and the leeching of any silicone particles is very low compared to the older generation silicone implant. This is in part why the FDA has approved them. Patients should not be concerned that any such systemic health risks exist. There will always be a few patients with breast implants who will develop autoimmune diseases and other health issues, but this association is coincidental, and not due to the implants themselves.

To learn more about breast implant surgery and to view before and after pictures visit my website at drdadvandplasticsurgery.com.

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