I receive countless inquiries regarding breast augmentation surgery, including questions and concerns about the possibility of developing Breast Implant Illness, also referred to as BII. Breast Implants are not for everyone. Some women report symptoms of BII. Before deciding on implants, it is important to educate yourself about breast implant illness and other risk factors for breast implants.
- Implants are not lifetime devices, it is recommended they be replaced at least every 10 years.
- For silicone implants, the FDA recommends getting imaging every other year to check for a leak.
- Before deciding on implants, educate yourself about breast implant illness. For more information go to my Plastic Surgery Blog on my website and select “Breast Procedures” in the drop-down menu.
- There is a rare lymphoma called BIA-ALCL associated with breast implants. It is predominantly associated with textured implants but this is still under research and investigation. The FDA also recently reported an additional cancer – squamous cell carcinoma- associated with breast implants.
- Allergan and Natrelle Biocelle textured implants known as the “gummy bear implants” were recalled by the FDA.
Lastly, please go to FDA.gov and review the black box warning on breast implants prior to getting implants.
For women who currently have breast implants and would like to remove them:
Breast Implant Revision and Removal Surgery
Breast implant revision and removal or “explant surgery” removes the implant and capsule around it, in one piece or in pieces, depending on the surgeon’s technique. This surgery is for patients who decide they’d like to remove their breast implants but are not experiencing BII symptoms.
En Bloc
This surgery removes breast implants and the surrounding scar tissue in one piece, and this surgery is for patients who are experiencing BII symptoms. This surgery differs from explant surgery because en bloc removal involves a deeper dissection of the capsule, removes more of the surrounding tissue, and the incision is much longer. Most patients report that their BII symptoms typically resolve after surgery.
For women who do not have implants, but want to add volume to their breasts:
Natural Breast Augmentation
Breast Augmentation with Fat Transfer or “Natural Breast Augmentation” is a cosmetic surgery procedure using liposuctioned fat from other body parts to modify the size, fullness, and overall look of the breast.
Breast Implant Revision Specialist In Beverly Hills
Dr. Cat is a breast implant revision specialist in Beverly Hills. She specializes in Explant surgery to remove breast implants, as well as Natural Breast Augmentation for patients who would like to enhance their breast volume, naturally, with their own fat. Although Dr. Cat does not specialize in the En Bloc procedure to remove breast implants for patients experiencing BII, she empathizes with patients who are experiencing BII symptoms and continues to bring awareness to the topic on her social media platforms. Dr. Cat is also extremely transparent about BII with all of her patients who come in to consult for breast augmentation, and she goes over each of their options in-depth, so the patient is able to make an informed decision for themselves.
Dr. Cat states “while thankfully, none my past patients have developed symptoms related to BII, nor have I ever used the recently recalled Allergan breast implants in any of my patients, I am very aware of the growing concern amongst women looking to undergo breast enhancement and those who’ve already gone through the surgical procedure. I am extremely proactive in disseminating BII awareness on my website and social media platforms and I continue to research and investigate FDA and scientific studies as well as individual patient’s experiences and those directly impacted by BII.”
Dr. Cat is transparent with her patients so they can make the best-informed decision for themselves. This is one of the many reasons patients fly in from all over the world to have surgery with her. Dr. Cat Plastic Surgery provides patients with the highest level of patient care and the best possible results. Schedule your consultation with Dr. Cat today!
