Breast Implants - Realities and Myths

Oct 19
09:18

2010

Andrew Stratton

Andrew Stratton

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You may have heard stories of exploding, hardening, and numb breast implants. While there may be some truth behind all of these, there are also many exaggerations.

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There are many myths surrounding breast implants that have scared off potential patients. While there may possibly be a bit of truth behind some,Breast Implants - Realities and Myths Articles the stories have been greatly exaggerated, making it sometimes difficult to distinguish truth from fiction. Here are some commonly spread rumors and the reality behind them.

Exploding

There are many exaggerations about oversized artificial breasts bursting open. While it is possible for breast implants, both saline and silicone, to rupture or tear, they certainly will not go off like a bomb. A saline leak will be noticeable very quickly as your body simply absorbs the liquid and your breast reduces rapidly in volume. A silicone rupture will not be as easy to detect and could even take years to notice the effects. Some people claim to have side effects resulting from silicone leaks, such as pain, tenderness, or unusual sensations such as burning. If you are concerned that your implants have torn, have an MRI or contact a doctor immediately.


Numbness

Any surgery has the potential to damage sensitive tissue and nerves, which means that having breast implants can cause loss of sensation in certain parts of the breast or the nipple. Sometimes this numbness is only temporary, but in a few rare cases it can be permanent. A small numb spot is not so unusual, but complete loss of sensation in the nipples or breast is not very common. While it is a risk you must be willing to take, it happens far less often than many people have been led to believe.


Basketballs

The media often makes light of female celebrities who sport breast implants so large that they resemble basketballs or appear to be bolted unnaturally onto the chest. Another common criticism of this type of augmentation is the large gap some women are left with on their upper torso following surgery. Neither of these instances are necessarily the fault of the surgeon, but are rather the result of capsular contracture. This happens when the body sees the insert as a foreign object and the tissue tightens around it, creating a squeezed and displeasing appearance. This can occur in one or both breasts to varying degrees. The exact causes of this are unknown. Revision surgery can sometimes be successful in repairing the appearance. While this is an inherit risk of the procedure, it is not very common. These types of modifications receive a disproportionate amount of attention due to their obviousness whereas successful procedures are rarely detectable.

Flat to Mountainous

Women with very little preexisting breast tissue might be disappointed when they discover that they may only be able to move up one or two cup sizes at the maximum. Breast implants are limited by individual anatomy and the body’s structure. Stretching the skin too much will lead to an unnatural appearance and possibly increase the chance of risks and complications. A skilled surgeon will limit the size of the breasts to reasonably suit the patient and her figure. There are also laws in many countries governing the size of breast implants allowable.

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