Breast Implanted Silicon Threats Women

Breast Implanted Silicon Threats Women


The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's decision to approve silicone breast implants has been attacked by some critics as a threat to women's health. But the agency made a reasonable call that will allow women, in consultation with their surgeons, to make their own judgments.

The silicone implants were largely banned in 1992 because the manufacturers could not prove they were safe and effective after health concerns arose. But over the years a series of assessments concluded that the main health fears were overblown. The implants did not appear to cause such major diseases as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, immunological diseases or neurological problems.

That does not mean they are risk free. In approving the silicone implants made by two companies, the FDA heaped on enough caveats to give women ample reason to pause before leaping into cosmetic breast surgery. The devices are prone to rupture, contract or cause pain and inflammation in the breast as time goes on. The FDA recommends that women have regular MRI screenings to detect whether their implant has ruptured, imposing a lifetime cost that can exceed the thousands of dollars spent on the initial surgery.>