Breast augmentation requires careful consideration.
The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, reports that breast augmentation has become one of the most popular types of cosmetic surgery among women in the United States. The procedure is designed to enhance the breasts by placing implants under the breast tissue or chest muscles---though the result has the potential to produce lumps about the breast area. Any potential lump should be investigated, yet some are a normal part of the healing process.
Types
Two forms of implants are used; saline and silicone, both of which have an outer silicone shell. Silicone implants are filled with a thick, sticky silicone gel, and saline implants are comprised of a thinner, saline fluid. Rupture of either of these types of implants will cause a distinct change in the appearance and feel of the breast. A ruptured silicone breast implant may eventually cause breast pain or changes in the contour or shape of the breast, writes Dr. Molly Walsh, a plastic surgeon at the Mayo Clinic. Such a rupture could be construed as a lump on the breast.
Examination
Women who have undergone breast augmentation should ask their surgeon for assistance in determining the difference between the implant and breast tissue, then conduct a monthly self-examination. Press firmly inward at the edges of the breast implants to feel the ribs beneath, checking for any lumps or bumps, suggests Mentor Corporation, a manufacturer of breast implants. However, be careful not to manipulate (i.e., squeeze) the valve on the implant excessively, which may cause valve leakage and make the breast implant deflate. The company suggests that any new lumps should be evaluated by a physician.
Identification
While any lump is cause for concern and should be tested, Dr. Howard Rosenberg, a cosmetic surgeon in Mountain View, California, says that some lumps, especially recently after surgery, may be inconsequential. These could be inflammatory reactions to dissolvable sutures, scar tissue, a small accumulation of blood clots that will eventually be replaced by scar tissue or an infection or abscess. Once again, it should be stressed that any lump on the breast should be viewed with suspicion and evaluated by a physician.
Research
The National Cancer Institute reports that significant research has been conducted evaluating the potential relationship between breast cancer and breast implants. The findings suggest a reduced risk of cancer among those with implants. Most have shown that the risk of developing breast cancer is less among women with implants compared with women without implants. In several of the studies, the size of the reduced risk was as much as 50 percent to 60 percent, says the Institute.
Risks
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons says that risks and possible complications following breast augmentation surgery include scarring, bleeding (hematoma), infection, an increase or decrease in nipple sensation, a buildup of hard scar tissue around the implant, implant leakage or rupture, wrinkled skin on top of the implant, general risks associated with anesthesia, persistent pain and the possibility of additional surgery.
