Breast augmentation is the most popular surgical cosmetic procedure of a $1.4bn industry in Australia, and there are thousands of women who undergo the procedure each year to restore or enhance their breasts. The conversation surrounding body enhancement has become far more comfortable and common in recent years, with more celebrities opening up about their cosmetic procedures, and more practitioners offering a wide range of services to help men and women look and feel their best. Despite this, there is still a surprising level of misinformation that continues to permeate public discussion.

Since the first breast augmentation in 1962, the breast implant industry has made leaps and bounds, with advances in all domains from surgical instruments and techniques, to implant technology itself. There have been several generations of breast implants over the past few decades, with each generation pioneering a new standard of safety and aesthetic potential. Yet despite unprecedented innovation in breast augmentation, there are still a number of enduring perceptions of breast implants that give the surgery a bad wrap. While it’s important to acknowledge and accept the risks associated with any surgical procedure, it’s also important to separate fact from fiction when there is so much information circulating around the net on social media, forums, and even blogs. This blog post will dive into the common misconceptions surrounding breast implants and separate fact from fiction.  

1. Breast implants feel fake?

One of the most common misconceptions surrounding breast implants is the notion that they are firm to the touch and do not replicate the feeling of real breast tissue. This misconception stems largely from the overly-enhanced breast aesthetics of past celebrities such as Pamela Anderson that are characterised by the “bolton” appearance. This exaggerated breast implant look birthed the idea of all breast implants appearing and feeling unnatural. This is far from the truth. Breast implants are specifically designed to replicate the natural look and feel of the breast. The majority of plastic surgeons now use silicone gel implants. You can read more about the various implant types here. Dr. Phil Richardson from Brisbane Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery uses Motiva implants – a cohesive silicone gel implant that mimics the natural appearance and feel of the breast by moulding to the breast pocket. You can watch some very helpful informational videos on the Motiva website that explain how their revolutionary gel technology works.  

2. Breast implants increase the risk of breast cancer?

Another common misconception is that breast implants increase a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. There is no evidence that exists to suggest there is any link between breast implants and breast cancer. The risk of any woman—with or without implants—developing breast cancer is 1 in 8. This likelihood does not increase for women who have had a breast augmentation. It is however very important that all women attend their routine mammograms, and that women with breast implants notify their mammogram technician of their implants so they can perform the correct investigations. You can read more about breast self-examinations with breast implants here. In the past year there has been significant media attention given to the rare link between certain textured implant varieties and anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL). There are a number of important aspects of this topic to consider and the BRAS clinic in Brisbane has provided a summary of the main facts which you can read here. It’s most important to understand that ALCL is not breast cancer, and the risk of breast implant-associated ALCL is as low as 1 in 60,000 for women with breast implants. There remains no evidence to suggest any link between breast implants and breast cancer. 

3. Breast implants should be replaced every 10 years? 

When patients come to see Dr. Phil Richardson from Brisbane Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, many have concerns regarding the longevity of breast implants and cite that they’ve heard implants should be replaced every 10 years. Ever since the 2011 FDA report on the safety of silicone implants, the idea that 10 years is the lifetime of an implant has been stuck in the media and minds of the public. This is a considerable generalisation of the limited research available. The article that started this school of thought actually found that just 20% of women required re-operation within the first 10 years. This figure included patients that were choosing to change their implants for lifestyle and aesthetic purpose (eg. wanting a bigger implant). This evidence suggests that over 80% of patients were still enjoying the longevity of their implants well past the ten-year milestone. Dr. Richardson advises his patients that if they don’t experience any post-operative complications or concerns, then there is no need for re-operation. The BRAS Clinic in Brisbane is a breast implant review clinic and they recommend as best practice for implant health to have a routine ultrasound every 2 years to check the integrity of the implant and have a physical check-up with Nurse Keren. This provides patients with important peace-of-mind and the tools to help prevent future complications and maintain the longevity of their results for many years to come. You can book an appointment with the BRAS Clinic here. The best part is that they offer review services for no out-of-pocket expense! 

4. Breast implants can “pop”?

The misconception that breast implants can “pop” on impact mainly stemmed from patient experiences with saline implants. Saline implants are a particular implant variety more commonly used in the US, which is a silicone shell filled with sterile salt water. There are a number of different pros and cons of saline implants which you can read here. One of the main disadvantages of a saline implant is that when they rupture the sterile saline solution is naturally absorbed into the body and the implant visibly deflates. This led to the concept of an implant “popping” on impact. New generations of implants that involve cohesive silicone gels do not display this deflation. Often, implant rupture goes undetected which is why routine ultrasounds are an important aspect of breast implant health. Most patients are not in a rush to re-operate in the event of rupture as it does not cause dramatic aesthetic changes as some are led to believe. Dr. Richardson uses exclusively Motiva cohesive silicone gel implants that have an extremely low rate of rupture and prevent gel bleeds and leakage. The concept that breast implants “pop” is a significant misconception and for those patients that have silicone implants should not be an area of concern. 

5. Breast implants impact breastfeeding?

One of the most common concerns women have regarding breast implants is whether the surgery will affect their ability to breastfeed. The evidence of current research suggests that breast implants implanted through inframammary fold incision and placed under the muscle have no apparent effect on the ability to breast feed. Dr. Phil Richardson performs the vast majority of breast augmentations via inframammary fold incision and in a sub muscular position. You can read more about this topic here. The existing evidence suggests there is little to no effect of breast implants on breast feeding. 

This blog post has looked at just a few of the most common misconceptions surrounding breast implants. With the growing number of resources on the internet there is the opportunity for both meaningful education as well as significant misinformation. It’s important to understand that consultation with your plastic surgeon is the most reputable source of information and you should always arrive at your appointment equipped with a list of questions to ensure you are appropriately informed. If you have any specific questions, feel free to contact us today.