How Safe Are Breast Implants?

Doctor in Eugene, OR holding breast implants to explain safety

The subject of breast implant safety is a topic that breast augmentation patients at my Eugene, Oregon practice have discussed more often in the past year because of publicity surrounding draft FDA guidelines issued last year and which were recently finalized.

As an article published recently in the magazine New Beauty noted (and in which I and other leaders in the plastic surgery field were quoted), the final FDA guidelines left many plastic surgeons scratching their heads. Their concern, which I share, is what was left out of the document—the significance of choosing a properly board-certified plastic surgeon for a patient’s breast augmentation procedure.

When breast augmentation is performed by surgeons with the expertise to execute the required surgical technique properly, complications are rare, and the results are good. I noted that when looking at statistics, a high percentage of patients who get breast implants are satisfied with the results.

As I told New Beauty, “In 10-year studies, we see in the mid-90 percent of patients are satisfied and glad they had the procedures, according to published studies.”

The Importance of Technique and Expertise

The best plastic surgeons—here in Oregon and around the world—are those who combine good technique and expertise to produce consistently good and safe outcomes.

My expertise in the safety of breast implants goes back decades. I spent 22 years doing clinical research with silicone gel breast implants for both Allergan and Mentor and was co-chair of the Breast Implant Task Force that led to the FDA’s re-approval of silicone gel breast implants in 2006. I’ve also spent most of my career leading efforts to enhance safety protocols for plastic surgery patients undergoing any procedure.

Leaders of professional organizations such as The Aesthetic Society and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons continue to work with the FDA to ensure that all patients are aware of both the benefits and potential risks of getting breast implants, which includes a rare form of cancer called breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). We also acknowledge the concerns of patients who believe certain physical symptoms are linked to breast implants and support those patients’ choices regarding removing their implants.

An Issue I Care Deeply About

As I noted in a previous blog post, I’ve yet to have a patient develop an infection following primary breast augmentation surgery in my 41 years of experience. This is corroborated by Institutional Review Board oversight studies approved by the FDA. I care deeply about this issue, and I’m dedicated to ensuring that my patients thoroughly understand the risks involved by getting the facts.

If you’d like to discuss these issues with me personally, contact us using our online form to request a consultation or call us at (541) 683-3234. I’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have about breast implants or the breast augmentation procedure.

Leave a Reply

Fields marked with * are required.

Back to Top