In a world where it is possible to surgically alter our bodies and faces to eliminate perceived flaws or signs of aging, the prospect of improving our physical selves can often overshadow the severity of the risks that such surgeries pose. The increasing popularity of cosmetic procedures and breast implant surgery in particular demonstrate just how much people are willing to pay, literally and figuratively, to attain a certain body type.
In 2016 alone, statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons showed that nearly 300 thousand people underwent some form of breast augmentation surgery, making it the most sought after major cosmetic surgery for its second year in a row. Given the growing number of people opting for breast surgery, the question of cost becomes a necessary one to ask…a question that goes beyond financial costs, and looks at the ways in which altering the physical body can be much less glamorous than it is made out to be.
Even though implant technology and medical devices have improved since the first mammoplasty performed over 50 years ago, the implants themselves are still considered to be temporary devices that are not foolproof by design. In a 2017 FDA report, up to 20 percent of people had breast implant removal surgery within 8 to 10 years after their initial procedure. Reoperations such as removal are not uncommon and, in fact, are essentially guaranteed at some stage after the initial implant operation, given that the average lifespan of an implant is about 10 to 15 years. After the ten-year mark, a patient is much more likely to have a capsular contracture, rupture or deflation in one or both implants, typically resulting in some form of reoperation.
When an implant ruptures or contractures, an individual may choose to opt for removal of the implant without replacement if the patient cannot cover the cost of an additional surgery. It is important to note that after implant removal surgery, the breast does not return to its previous shape or appearance. Irreversible changes in the natural breast such as sagging, wrinkling and puckering are common when implants are removed without being replaced.
Aside from cosmetically unappealing outcomes, implant malfunctions can cause the body internal stress. For example, in the case of a silicone-based implant, a rupture may occur without any outward indication that one has taken place. A “silent rupture,” is hard to detect because the implant can feel and appear normal while it has actually ruptured within the capsule. If the rupture goes undetected, silicone may leak outside of the capsule and into surrounding areas of tissue, at which point the leaked silicone can be very difficult or nearly impossible to remove. Patients with silicone-based implants are recommended by the FDA to get MRI scans around every 2 to 3 years in order to avoid complications such as these.
Different incidences that require reoperation, along with the temporary nature of implants point to the lifelong care and attention that they require. So long as an individual has a surgically implanted foreign object inside of them, they will have to monitor their bodies more closely, as well as exercise caution when partaking in activities that can cause rupture or contracture of the implant. It is for these reasons that it is more realistic to view breast implant surgery as a series of on-going procedures and check-ups, rather than a one-time operation.
In some rare cases, breast implants can lead to life-threatening health problems. The World Health Organization reported that a cancer known as Breast-Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) develops in between 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 10,000 patients following breast implant surgery. While relatively uncommon, the potentially fatal outcome of developing such a cancer is something to take into account before making the final decision to go under the knife.
There are a variety of reasons and circumstances that ultimately lead people to opt for cosmetic surgery. Beauty, societal pressure, the desire to be or look “normal” are only several of countless different driving forces and money-making mentalities behind the plastic surgery phenomenon. When all is said and done, it is solely the individual’s prerogative to decide what they want for their own body. That being said, it is also in the best interest of any individual who is looking into surgery to fully understand the implications and potential risks that breast implants pose for the body. Additional operations, potential complications and health risks exist on the other side of a picture-perfect coin, resulting in costs that can’t be measured on a strictly monetary basis. It is up to the individual to determine the price they are willing to pay to have what it is they believe that breast implants will provide them.
