Breast augmentation is the most popular plastic surgery procedure with more than 350,000 performed on U.S patients last year alone. So, when Allergan issued a worldwide recall of its textured breast implants because they were linked to a rare form of cancer, it caused widespread panic among women who had undergone augmentation. Since most American women do not have the textured variety, plastic surgeons were able to mitigate their concerns.
But, one board-certified plastic surgeon in Newport Beach, Tarek Copty, MD, says there was a missed opportunity to inform these and other women that breast implants are not intended to last one’s lifetime, but should be replaced every 10-15 years.
Copty says one reason implants are not lifetime devices is their construction.
“While today’s implants have a 5-layer shell to keep them intact, the implant of yesteryear only had 1," says Copty. "Perhaps that may be why so many women have reported feeling ill and are convinced that their shared symptoms (e.g., headaches, rashes, chronic fatigue, fevers, brain fog and joint pain) are due to aging or faulty implants. Women report that their symptoms virtually disappear after surgery and that they also see a vast improvement in the shape and appearance of their implants after having them replaced.”
The FDA says there’s no scientific evidence supporting breast implant illness but issued a warning in May that some women may experience “systemic symptoms that may go away when their breast implants are removed.”
Whether or not illness can be linked to implants, Copty says it’s important to replace them after a decade or so and women are heeding that advice. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported that 20,967 women had implants removed in 2008. In just 10 years, that number increased to nearly 30,000. Dr. Copty believes that today's implants are "100% safe," but that replacing them is necessary to ensure optimal health.
For more information about breast implant removal and replacement, call 949-721-1113
Copty is a diplomate of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, and board certified by the American Board of Surgery and the Jordanian Board of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He is a member of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and Jordanian Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He specializes in many procedures including rhinoplasty, facial rejuvenation, breast surgeries and body contouring. For more information, visit EstheticaOrangeCounty.com.