Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) Concerning Breast Augmentation
Is Silicone Safe?
Q: Are the currently available silicone implants under special studies in the United States safe? I'm afraid of silicone, even though all the scientific evidence says that silicone doesn't cause any disease. Why don't we all just wait until "something better" comes along if saline is sooooo inferior?"
A: If you're concerned at all about silicone, don't even consider breast augmentation. Every implant currently made uses a silicone shell. Silicone is silicone is silicone! The basic chemical is the same, whether in a shell or in a gel filler! Did you know that every needle and syringe used in medicine is lubricated with liquid silicone? That means that every time anyone has blood drawn for tests or any medications administered, they get liquid silicone into their body? Any effects? Not that anyone's ever been able to determine!
Is silicone safe? You can decide. With respect to silicone causing any diseases:
One of the most reassuring and conclusive sources of information to date is the report of the National Science Panel appointed by U.S. District Judge Sam Pointer, the presiding judge over the class action breast implant litigation. This panel was appointed by Judge Pointer to evaluate all existing scientific evidence and determine whether silicone gel breast implants cause any type of autoimmune diseases, connective tissue diseases, immune system dysfunctions. Four disciplines were represented on the panel by world recognized experts in each discipline: immunology, epidemiology, toxicology, and rheumatology. Their conclusions?
Immunology-"The main conclusion that can be drawn from existing studies is that women with silicone breast implants do not displaya silicone-induced systemic abnormality in the types or functions of cells of the immune system."
Epidemiology-"No association was evident between breast implants and any of the individual connective tissue diseases, all definite connective tissue diseases combined, or the other autoimmune/rheumatic conditions."
Toxicology-"In conclusion, the preponderance of evidence from animal studies indicates little probability the silicone exposure indices or exacerbates systemic disease in humans."
Rheumatoloty-"Furthermore, many of the rheumatologic complaints reported are common in the general population as as presenting complaints in physician's offices. No distinctive features relating to silicone breast implants could be identified."
This panel of unbiased experts unequivocally concluded that breast implants do not cause any of these diseases. Their findings point out one of the greatest hoaxes ever perpetrated on American women by the FDA and plaintiff lawyers-banning a device that does not cause disease, depriving American women of their rights to valid information and valid choices with regard to breast implants, and making plaintiff lawyers wealthier in the process!
If you'd like to read the entire report:
National Science Panel Report
The full 200-page report prepared at the request of presiding judge Sam Pointer by a select panel of medical experts is available through the Federal Breast Implant MultiDistrict Litigation web site at http://www.fjc.gov/BREIMLIT/mdl926.htm.
Another important panel was commissioned by Congress and assembled by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science. This 13 member panel reviewed almost 3000 scientific studies and concluded that silicone does not cause any significant disease, but can cause local complications such as infection and capsular contracture, facts that are well known to most patients.
Saline versus silicone gel filler is a choice like all other choices in augmentation. Neither is necessarily better. There is no such thing as any perfect option or set of options. Every option comes with a set of tradeoffs. To answer your question regarding why don't"we all just wait until "something better" comes along if saline is sooooo inferior?"-over 150,000 women in 1998 decided that saline was not so inferior. But that may not be the right decision for you. It depends on what tradeoffs you're willing to accept.
The problem with all currently available silicone gel implants is that they are all drastically underfilled. Because they are underfilled, they are softer. Because they are underfilled, the shell of the implant always folds. Shell folding may or may not be visible, but it risks early shell failure. Which would you rather have, an implant that's slightly softer or an implant that lasts longer and minimizes how many operations you'll need in the future?
But that doesn't mean that all gel implants fail early. Only the underfilled
ones! Cohesive gel implants such as McGhan Style 410 are filled with a special,
cohesive gel You can cut a pie shaped wedge out of this implant, and the
gel won't migrate! Unfortunately, if you're an American woman, they're not
an option for you! Currently, the FDA is only allowing surgeons to study
the same, old, underfilled gel implants that produce the "breast implant
crisis" in the first place! Hopefully, newer and better implant options
will be approved for study by the FDA in the next couple of years.
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