8 Risks of Breast Augmentation

When I began an article on breast augmentation,I was unaware of the risks that women are willing to take to have bigger breasts. Here are a few of the risks and complications that can occur after a breast augmentation procedure.

Capsular Contracture is when a scar or area around the implant begins to tighten. This causes the breast to feel hard. Capsules of living, tightly-woven collagen fibers naturally form around a foreign body, which in this case is the silicon-shelled breast implant. There is some speculation that the capsule forms to shield the body from a foreign object by creating a fibrous wall of tissue between the two. Capsular Contracture occurs in 5% of patients. There is no way to tell who will develop this problem and who will not.

Nipple sensitivity or loss of sensitivity usually disappears after several weeks, but for some it may become permanent. It can increase or decrease after surgery. The range of changes varies from intense sensitivity to no feeling in the nipple or breast following surgery. Changes in feeling may affect sexual response or ability to nurse a baby.

Rippling is when the breast begins to have indentations. This is often caused when the implant moves. This occurs most often with saline filled implants, because the fluid in the implant is less viscous than the silicone gel. Many patients favor sub muscular placement of the implants because it offers more soft tissue coverage over the implant. It is rare for rippling to be seen or felt through the muscle.

Ruptures and deflation occur when breast implants tear and/or leak. This may require a 2nd operation to replace the implant. Ruptures and deflation are caused by trauma to breast, injury from surgical instruments, normal wear and tear on implant and mechanical damage prior to or during surgery. Overfilling and under filling may cause too much tension on the implant shell making it more prone to rupture.

Immune system disorders are also a serious risk. Symptoms include joint pain and swelling, fever, fatigue, breast pain, tightness, redness or swelling of the skin, swollen glands or lymph nodes, excessive hair loss, memory problems, headaches, muscle weakness or burning.

Synmastia (bread loafing or uniboob) occurs when the implants cross over the breast bone and actually touch under the tissues. This results in no cleavage and con-joined breasts. This is a technical complication caused by over dissection of the medial pocket over the sternum in the sub glandular plane. Synmastia is also caused by an over-division of the pectoralis muscle origin along the sternum in a sub muscular plane. Over-sized implants also contribute to the problem.

Bottoming out occurs when the lower poles or halves of the breast lose tissue support and the natural crease slowly lowers itself. It is the loss of internal implant support where implant placement with partial, or no muscle coverage. This allows slow downward migration of the implants. This results in the implants end up too low on the chest and the nipples end up positioned too high on the chest wall. The nipples end up positioned too high on the breast mounds and they tend to pop out of the bra or bathing suit top.

Double bubble (double boob or quadruple boob) is a slang term for when the implant is placed under the muscles of a patient with ptotic or sagging breasts. The breast tissue may fall further and create one set of breasts. The implants stay in there rightful pocket under the muscle and creates the second set of breasts.

As I said before these are only a few of the risks and complications that can occur from a breast augmentation procedure. Why are women willing to risk all this to have bigger breasts. Is it a result of insecurity or just plain vanity? I would really like to know. The thought of breast augmentation has crossed my mind a time or two in my life, but I never knew the risks until now. The thought will never cross my mind again. Why do women do it? Are they unaware of the risks? Do they just want bigger breast that bad? A part of me wants to understand the almost obsession with breast augmentation, but the other part can no longer fathom the thought. I don't feel that any "want" is worth a risk that great.

Living with Chronic Pain

Pain is the body’s natural response to an injury. Everyone knows that if you smash your finger in a car door that you are going to experience intense pain. Fortunately the pain will eventually stop and the wound will heal. Those who suffer from chronic pain are unable to gain permanent relief from their pain. So imagine smashing your finger in the car door every day and you can get a glimpse into the life of a person suffering from chronic pain.

When chronic pain persists, the pain becomes only part of the misery. Depression, anxiety and anger all become components of chronic pain. The pain takes control of your life and starts affecting every part of it. In my opinion, this is where the anger sets in. You get angry with yourself first. You just want to be normal again and it’s easy to get angry at your body for feeling the way it does. It may sound crazy to someone who doesn’t know how chronic pain feels, but you begin to blame yourself for not doing the things you use to do and for losing yourself in the pain. Then the anger tends to project onto the doctors for not being able to tell you why you have chronic pain or not even believing that something is wrong with you. You know you’re hurting and that your life is hell, but if they can’t see it, most doctors don’t believe it. Dealing with friends and family usually brings about more anger. If they don’t understand or are not even willing to try to understand it makes you angry…very angry. How can you make someone else understand what you’re going through, when you don’t even understand it and it’s like a big circle, you become angry at yourself again. It’s never-ending.

The depression and anxiety go hand in hand in my world. You get to the point where you just want to give up. Nothing stops the pain, you feel like nobody believes you and you can’t do everything you use to be able to do. The bad thing with depression is that it actually causes more pain, so you are stuck in this vicious circle that is destroying your life. What are you suppose to do if even the doctors can’t help you? The anxiety causes you to become a recluse and the little outings with friends and family seem more and more like torture than fun. When you’re by yourself you don’t have to worry about trying to make someone understand that you are really in pain. You don’t have to listen to anyone’s criticism. This isn’t a good place to be. It’s lonely, but it’s the only way you can deal with it.

Pain, depression, anxiety and anger are a dangerous combination, but it’s the reality of chronic pain. If you suffer from chronic pain don’t stop searching for answers. You can’t give up on your life and you can’t let the pain win. If one doctor won’t listen keep searching until you find one that will.