Textured breast implants

First, this doesn’t apply to all implants. It doesn’t apply to saline or silicone implants with a  smooth surface. This doesn’t apply to textured implants by Mentor or Sientra. This is only in regards to textured breast implants specifically made by Allergan.

So what’s the problem?

Allergan textured breast implants are associated with anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). It’s not your typical breast cancer. In fact, ALCL can occur anywhere in the body. But when it comes to textured implants, the scar tissue around the implant can turn into ALCL.

A patient would be suspicious if one breast all of a sudden grew larger because of an accumulation of fluid around the implant. If that happens, tell your doctor. They’ll remove some of that fluid and send it to the lab for diagnosis. The treatment is to remove the scar tissue that contains the lymphoma from around the breast.

With quick diagnosis, the patient can be cured with removal of this scar tissue.

Why texturing in the first place?

Textured implants help keep an implant in position within the breast. This is less important with a textured round implant because if it spins in the breast pocket, it’s still a round implant and is still in a good position. But a shaped or tear drop implant that spins can create a “sideways” boob. Texturing helps the implant from spinning. To completely avoid the issue, your best bet is to get a round smooth implant since you can’t get shaped or tear drop implants that are smooth.

What if I have textured implants?

If you’re not having symptoms, you don’t have to do anything. Even the FDA is not recommending patients remove their textured implants without symptoms. But again, if you do have symptoms, a cure is likely with removal of the implant and the surrounding scar tissue.

Video regarding textured breast implants and the risk of ALCL

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Allergan removes textured breast implants from market [video] first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

1. They cause cancer

Breast implants don’t cause the typical type of breast cancer that the vast majority of women have. A very rare form of cancer known as lymphoma, which is more of an overgrowth of lymphatic tissue like lymph nodes that can occur anywhere in the body, can also appear, under certain circumstances, around a breast implant.

Specifically, implants with a textured surface, as seen in shaped or tear drop implants, may result in a very small risk of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). This arises in the scar tissue that naturally forms around all breast implants. And within that subset of patients with textured implants, there are patients that have a certain brand of implants (Allergan), that may get ALCL. It can been seen in other brands of textured implants but they’re most commonly seen in that brand.

A patient may notice months or even years after surgery that they suddenly get a fluid collection around their implants. That fluid can be sent to a pathology lab that can diagnose ALCL because of specific proteins found in the fluid. The treatment is to go in and remove the scar tissue around the implant and the implant itself and this usually leads to a cure. So while breast implants can cause a type of cancer, it’s not “breast cancer.”

2. You have to change them out every 10 years

Simply not true.

There are multiple studies that review implants over the course of 10 years and find that a follow up surgery is necessary in about 20% of patients at 10 years. But that means 80% of patients are fine. So if you’re not having any issues with your breast implants, you don’t have to change them out after 10 years, or maybe ever.

3. You have to get shaped/teardrop for them to look natural

Here’s a little secret. Yes, teardrop or shaped implants have less fullness at the top portion of the breast to make them look more natural. But if you don’t get huge implants (round or shaped), they’ll look natural either way!

Go big or go home isn’t true when it comes to breast implants!

4. You can’t breast feed afterwards

Not every woman can breast feed but this has nothing to do with breast implants. So if you’re theoretically or actually able to breast feed before breast implants, you’ll be able to breast feed after breast implants.

5. The silicone can leak into the body

It’s important to make the distinction between older and new implants on this point. Older generation implants that ruptured have been shown to leak silicone molecules to the armpit region and even the liver. But newer implants, as discussed in this document submitted to the FDA, don’t leak into the body. They may leak out of the implant’s silicone shell but they stay contained within the scar tissue around the implant.

To reiterate, scar tissue naturally forms around any foreign object in the body – knee replacements, pacemakers and even breast implants. And this means all breast implants – saline or silicone. So when an implant ruptures and the silicone gel leaks out of the implant, the document above reports that none of that silicone leaked out of the scar tissue surrounding the implant.

Video: The 5 myths about breast augmentation debunked!

Click here to check pricing on breast augmentation from Dr.  Kaplan (aka Dr. Bae)!

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post 5 myths about breast augmentation debunked [video] first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

How is the IDEAL implant different?

As you’ll see in the video below, the IDEAL implant isn’t just another saline implant. It has “structure” to it. In this case, it means that in addition to a silicone shell, there are additional silicone shells inside that give the saline implant a feel closer to a silicone implant. Even though there are multiple silicone shells, there is no silicone liquid or gel inside.

While the 5th generation silicone implants are more like gels and less likely to leak like the original silicone implants, some patients have concerns. So if you’re worried about silicone gel implants, also called gummy bear implants, you have another option.

The concerns about silicone implants – risk of lupus or cancer – are not substantiated in many studies. And the recent concern about ALCL is associated with implants that have a textured surface. Most silicone implants do not have a texture on their surface and neither does the IDEAL implant. In the end, if you still have concerns about a silicone implant but still want the natural feel of a silicone implant, the IDEAL implant is for you!

Video on the IDEAL implant

To check pricing on breast augmentation with the IDEAL implant from Dr. Kaplan, click here.

Other resources for the Ideal Implant;

https://idealimplant.com/press-releases/

https://idealimplant.com/10-year-study/

https://idealimplant.com/advantages-2/

https://idealimplant.com/medical-futurist/

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Breast augmentation with the IDEAL Implant [video] first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.