Studies have shown that silicone breast implants are safe.
During the 1980s and 1990s, the safety of silicone breast implants became a topic of great debate. Several court cases, in which women were exposed to silicone through punctures or ruptured silicone implants, were won after the women developed neurological or autoimmune diseases. These early victories led to further trials and studies.
Although many hoped that these studies would show that silicone implants were not safe, this was actually not the case. While no definitive link has been found between breast cancer, autoimmune diseases, or neurological problems as a result of silicone exposure, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandated that implants silicone implants were withdrawn from the market in 1999. They were replaced by saline implants, which some said were inferior because of their “less natural” appearance.
Silicone implants tend to have a more authentic feel than saline breast implants.
However, extensive research by scientists around the world has shown that silicone implants are relatively safe. The biggest risk factors involved in its use were scarring or hardening of the breast tissue. Furthermore, no research related to silicone exposure through implants has been able to establish that they cause disease. So, in 2006, silicone implants became legal again for any woman requesting them in the United States.
The risks of silicone breast implants may include an adverse reaction to anesthesia.
During the scare of the late 20th century, many women chose to have their silicone implants removed and replaced with saline implants. Some of these women have happily returned to silicone implants because they tend to have a more authentic feel and grip on their breasts than saline implants. Opinions on this vary, however. Some find that the newer saline implants are more preferable than silicone implants.
However, it should be noted that the placement of saline or silicone implants is major surgery. Although silicone implants do not pose specific health risks, surgery does. All people who undergo surgery face risks of complications due to infections, adverse reactions to anesthesia, and accidents during surgery. Therefore, getting silicone implants is not without health risks, although this risk is usually more related to the surgery than to the implants.