What You Need to Know About Breast Implant Illness
Key takeaways:
Some people with breast implants get symptoms usually seen with autoimmune disease.
It’s not clear why some people get breast implant illness (BII). But people at risk for autoimmune disease are more likely to be affected.
Implant removal can sometimes help relieve symptoms of BII.
In 2011, the FDA started looking into cases of a rare type of blood cancer that was happening in people with silicone breast implants. During their investigation, they got reports from people about unusual symptoms. The FDA named this group of symptoms “breast implant illness.”
In 2019, the FDA added BII to the list of risks and complications of breast implants. Since then, advocacy groups and medical organizations have been working together to find out why BII happens.
Here’s what we know about breast implant illness, including its symptoms, causes, and treatments.
What is breast implant illness?
Breast implant illness (BII) describes a group of symptoms that start after someone has breast implants placed for augmentation or reconstruction. It’s also sometimes called autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA).
Not everyone with breast implants will develop BII: It’s still not clear why some people develop symptoms while others don’t. Researchers think that people who are more likely to develop autoimmune diseases are also more likely to develop BII.
Some people develop BII shortly after surgery while others may not develop symptoms for several years. There are no tests to diagnose BII. Your healthcare provider can diagnose it based on your symptoms.
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What are the symptoms of breast implant illness?
The symptoms of BII differ from person to person. Some people have many symptoms while others only have a few. The most common symptoms people report are:
Fatigue
Fevers
Joint pains
Muscle pains
Skin rash
Anxiety
Hair loss
Brain fog
Depression
Changes in weight
What causes breast implant illness?
Right now, no one knows for sure what causes BII. There is some research showing that the silicone can cause inflammation and activate the immune system. This activation can then cause symptoms of autoimmune disease.
Not everyone with silicone breast implants gets BII. This makes it hard for scientists to definitively link silicone and BII. But there is ongoing research into silicone:
In 2018, a team of researchers looked at the medical records of almost 100,000 people who got breast implants. They found that people with silicone breast implants were more likely to develop certain autoimmune conditions than people without breast implants.
Another team looked at the medical records of 124,000 people who got silicone breast implants and found that these people were also more likely to have autoimmune symptoms than people without breast implants.
Is breast implant illness more common with saline or with silicone implants?
It’s not yet known if BII is more common with saline or with silicone implants. But all breast implants contain silicone. Saline implants have a silicone shell around them, so anyone with breast implants is exposed to silicone.
How common is breast implant illness?
It’s not clear how many people have BII. The FDA asks people to report BII symptoms so they can keep track of how many people are affected. They currently have thousands of reports but the actual number of people affected is likely much larger.
How is breast implant illness treated?
There’s no treatment for BII. There are a few research studies showing that people’s symptoms improved after having their implants removed. These studies were small and do not prove that removing breast implants will cure BII. But more research is going on to see if implant removal is the key to treatment.
If you think you have BII, don’t ignore your symptoms. Find a plastic surgeon with experience in treating BII. There are many plastic surgeons working on BII research who can help you decide on your next steps.
How else is the FDA addressing breast implant illness awareness?
In 2021, the FDA released updated safety requirements for breast implants in order to help people make more informed decisions.
One of the main restrictions added was that the sale and distribution of breast implants would only be permitted for health care providers that issued a “Patient Decision Checklist” brochure to patients.
The checklist highlights risks, benefits, and other relevant information to those considering breast implants.
New labeling guidelines were also included within the order, with breast implant labels to showcase risks, rupture screening recommendations, materials used, and the patient decision checklist.
The bottom line
Breast implant illness happens in some people with breast implants. BII causes symptoms commonly seen with autoimmune diseases. Plastic surgeons, researchers, the FDA, and patient advocates are working together to understand what causes BII and how to treat it. The FDA encourages people to report their symptoms to the FDA database.
Why trust our experts?
References
American Society of Plastic Surgeons. (n.d.). Home.
Becerra-Gonzales, V. G., et al. (2020). Autoimmune/autoinflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA) after a silicone injection. BMJ Case Reports.
Coroneos, C. J., et al. (2019). U.S. FDA breast implant postapproval studies. Annals of Surgery.
Kenkel, J. M., et al. (2021). Breast implant illness: An expert-panel discussion on current research. Aesthetic Surgery Journal Open Forum.
Maijers, M. C., et al. (2013). Women with silicone breast implants and unexplained systemic symptoms: A descriptive cohort study. The Netherlands Journal of Medicine.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2019). Questions and answers about breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2020). FDA updates analysis of medical device reports of breast implant illness and breast implant-associated lymphoma.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2020). Medical device reports for systemic symptoms in women with breast implants.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2020). Risks and complications of breast implants.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2021). FDA strengthens safety requirements and updates study results for breast implants.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2022). MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program.
Watad, A., et al. (2018). Silicone breast implants and the risk of autoimmune/rheumatic disorders: A real-world analysis. International Journal of Epidemiology.
Wee, C. E., et al. (2020). Understanding breast implant illness, before and after explantation. Annals of Plastic Surgery.
