However, today more than ever the safety of silicone breast implants is discussed despite the FDA approval. The approval did not clean up with all concerns and the FDA itself demands more testing and more studies.



So what is the discussion about and why should silicone implants be a risk? Silicone is supposed to be a material that does not do any harm because it is biological inactive. In the beginnings there was no discussion at all about it. When silicone breast implants were introduced, breast implants became very popular and even breast cancer patients got silicone implants.

The fuss began because some women became ill, and in their opinion it were their silicone breast implants that made them sick. Silicone implants have been used for years until the first concerns did arise.

When the first investigations began, it was a surprise to find out that the FDA at this time did never state weather silicone breast implants were safe or not. Not a single study was performed on the thousands of women who had received breast implants.

It became very clear that much more research was needed. Even today, after years of research though, not all risks are known. It is known that silicone breast implants can cause problems when the implants start to leak. Implants can also be the cause for breast pain and infections.

Another risk factor is the fact that one surgery is not enough. The time comes where you have to replace or remove the implants. Getting silicone breast implants also means having multiple surgeries over time. Often within the next five years already.

Silicone implants are preferred because of their superior attributes to saline filled implants. While a leaking saline implant does not cause much harm, what happens when the silicone leaks into the body? With more than 300,000 breast implant surgeries per year this becomes an important question.

Even more because in 90 percent of all cases these surgeries are performed for no medical reason. Otherwise healthy women go under a surgery and get implants which probably make them ill sooner or later. And most of these women are young, in the age between 25 and 45.

For most women the breast implant surgery shall bring a C cup size or increase the volume which has been lost over years. Most women are satisfied with their implants, not many want them removed but many wish they had chosen an even bigger implant.

Although overall satisfaction with silicone implants is good, the risks are still there and unanswered questions remain. At least the public awareness is there now and studies are performed.

If you are going for silicone breast implants, you know that by today's standards breast implants are pretty safe. There is no absolute guarantee though, but it is questionable if it ever will be achieved.