Breast augmentation can give you fabulous results. However, it also poses some complications that can lead to unfavorable results. This page will explain the complications associated with breast augmentation surgery. After you have had a chance to learn about the complications on this page, be sure to visit the page “Tips for Getting the Best Results from your Breast Augmentation” to help you minimize your complications, expedite your recovery and get the best possible results.

Complications of Breast Augmentation

Capsular contracture

Capsular contracture is a scar that forms around the implant, causing it to feel firm, look unnatural, and potentially hurt. When you see pictures of a woman with obvious implants who looks like she has "coconut breasts", she more than likely has a severe capsular contracture.If you develop a mild capsular contracture, you may not be bothered by it and may not even notice you have one. If you develop one that is moderate or severe, you will probably require surgery to correct the problem. Surgery involves removing the scar and placing a new implant. With this, the capsular contracture normally will not return.

Placing the implant under the muscle has a lower risk of capsular contracture than placing the implant over the muscle. We will try our best to help minimize capsular contracture.

Interference with mammography

Breast implants do interfere with the ability of a mammogram to "see" all of your breast tissue. Placing the implant under the muscle allows for the least amount of interference.

With the breast implant under your muscle, mammograms can "see" about 90% of your breast tissue. With the breast implant over the muscle (AKA under the breast), mammograms can "see" 75% of your breast tissue.

Whether under of over the muscle, implants do not interfere with your ability to detect lumps in a self breast examination. Self exams are found to be the most successful way in discovering the majority of breast cancers. Implants also do not interfere with ultrasound or MRI scans, which are helpful in the evaluation of breast masses.

Implant displacement

Implants can move out of position at anytime after breast augmentation surgery. They can move upward, downward, left or right. If they move only a little, you may not even notice. If they move a lot, you may need further surgery to move them back into position. Fortunately, this problem is not common. The larger the implant, the greater the chance that it will displace downward. We will use a special breast bra to support and fix your new breasts.

Silicone Implant rupture
Seldom
Rippling
Rippling is much less common with silicone than saline.
Infection

Infection, if it occurs, usually does so within two months of surgery. Infection occurs in about 1% of all implant surgeries. If an infection occurs it often requires antibiotics and the removal of the involved implant. A new implant can be placed six months later, which means you would have to go for six months with very uneven breasts.

Nipple numbness

If the possibility of having numb nipples is unacceptable to you, you should not have breast augmentation because no surgeon can guarantee preservation of nipple sensation. The national risk of having permanently numb nipples is about 15%.

Breast feeding and pregnancy

Breast feeding ability is not altered by implants. Many women ask about the effect of future pregnancy on augmented breasts. In most cases, implants will not affect the fate of your postpartum breasts. Here is why: following pregnancy (and breast feeding), your breasts will shrink to their pre-pregnancy size (or there about). During this process of shrinking, your breast skin may either tighten or not tighten. If it tightens, you will most likely not have breast droop. If it does not tighten, then your breasts will unfortunately droop. Whether or not the skin tightens has little or nothing to do with the presence or absence of implants.

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