Breast augmentation continues to be the most popular plastic surgery procedure in the U.S.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, there were 313,735 breast augmentations performed in 2018 – a 4 percent increase from 2017.
Despite its popularity and excellent safety profile, breast augmentation is not risk-free, and patients considering this procedure should be aware of possible adverse effects.
Continue reading to learn what patients can expect after breast implant surgery as well as common and rare breast implant complications.
What Can Patients Expect After Breast Implant Surgery?
Breast implant surgery is an out-patient procedure, which means that individuals are free to return home later that day to begin the recovery process.
You will receive explicit instructions following surgery in order to ensure smooth and safe healing. It is important that you follow your surgeon’s directions and contact him in case of any alarming signs or symptoms.
With that being said, following breast implant surgery, patients may experience temporary swelling, bruising, tenderness, and chest tightness.
Implants may also appear to sit high, but will gradually descend to reach their final position in the implant pocket.
What Are Early Signs of Breast Implant Complications?
When performed by a skilled and experienced board-certified plastic surgeon, breast augmentation is an extremely safe procedure.
However, it is important to be aware of early signs of complications in order to quickly and effectively address them.
These may include redness of the skin around the breast, unusual swelling that does not seem to subside, and a burning sensation.
What Are Common Breast Implant Complications?
There are several common breast implant complications that patients should consider prior to surgery.
These can include thick scarring; hardening of breast tissue; implant rupture and granuloma formation; creases, folds, rotation, or rippling of the implant; and undesirable cosmetic outcomes.
Additionally, it is possible to encounter infection and subsequent implant removal; nerve damage to nipples with increased, decreased, or complete loss of sensitivity; and inability to breast-feed or decreased milk production.
What Are Rare Breast Implant Complications?
Other, less common complications of breast implant surgery include excessive intraoperative bleeding, an allergic reaction to the anesthetic, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) – a blood clot forming in the veins deep in the body.
Another extremely rare complication is Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma. ALCL has been linked to textured breast implants and often presents several years after breast implant surgery.
Learn More About Breast Implant Surgery
To learn more about breast implant surgery, please call our office today to schedule a consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Navin Singh.