Having a breast enhancement procedure exposes you to risks such as breast-feeding difficulties or implant leakage. Thus, it is important to understand these common risks and side-effects to better equip you on what to do.
Quite a number of patients who have undergone breast enhancement have successfully breastfeed. However, there is still a possibility that it will interfere with the breast feeding process. Before going through the surgery, consult your surgeon about this. Sometimes, breast enhancement leads to a loss of sensation in the nipple and breast area. This loss of sensation, which results from damaged nerve endings, may be temporary or permanent. The outcome would depend upon the breast enhancement technique used by your surgeon.
Another possible risk of having breast enhancement procedures is the leaking of the breast implant materials into the surrounding breast tissue. To lessen the possibility of leaking, make sure that the implant material that will be used is approved by the FDA. Implants may also break or rupture over time. Usually, ruptures occur when there is excessive compression or trauma to the breast. It may also be due to the natural aging of the implant. Sometimes, it is mammography itself that compresses the breast implant, thereby causing it to rupture.
The biggest risk in breast enhancement lies in its impediment of breast cancer detection. Breast enhancement implants may hide breast tumors during mammography or ultrasound. For patients with breast enhancement, additional views and special imaging are required during breast examination. The “Eklund displacement views” helps maximize the visibility of the breast tissue to further detect tumors.
