Are you thinking of having a breast implant? Think again.

Are you thinking of having a breast implant?  Think again.  There is a new report published of a particular type of cancer - Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (ALCL)  It is particularly associated with 'textured' implants. Apparently, that type becomes part of the body more easily, and so they are used in around 90% of such operations in Australia. 

Bacteria contaminated breast implant.
Image from ABC story

They had estimated that ALCL occurred in maybe one in fifty thousand cases, then maybe one in three thousand, and now they are thinking maybe one in a thousand. It was an ABC report that I was watching, (reference below) and the chap interviewed was telling women not to panic. 'It takes around eight years to show up.' 

WHAAAT!?   So a woman should not panic because the potential cancer will not manifest for some years?

This problem is in addition to the other problems we already know about - implants rupturing and spreading their contents throughout the body. There was a scandal a few years ago when a French company was using industrial silicone instead of higher standard medical silicone in the breast implants they were manufacturing and selling. There were more ruptures than usual, and when they did rupture, there was a rather nasty substance free in the victims' bodies. Scandal. But what struck me was an 'expert' at the time who said that it was not a thing to panic about as in the normal course of events, around 10% of breast implants rupture each year. !!!  So that means 100% chance in 10 years?  Luckily, that is only the law of averages, and maybe individual women will never have a problem.  

The thing is that, except for a few women who do it to enhance their careers, for most it is only a question of vanity. Large breasts are not better than small breasts in any way that counts.

Feeding the baby? No difference.  Feeding a baby when you have 'enhanced' breasts. It depends on what other surgery you had such as changing the position of the nipple. Definitely not worth the risk, and almost every mother prefers to feed her own baby for the first weeks, when those vital antobodies are passed on, and many like to breast feed for much longer.

You want bigger breasts so that clothing fits better?  Well, that's a tiny reason, and you could always buy a padded bra. When a padded bra breaks, there are no health effects.

Note that this is not
an advertisement for cleavage

Because you think that men like women with larger breasts? Have some self respect.. Your health is more important than the shallow sort of man who would admire you merely for big breasts!   

And think of breast cancer. Do you have a routine mammogram? The big blob of a breast implant makes the X-Ray more difficult to perform, and more difficult to interpret. The radiologist is more likely to miss possible marks that should be investigated. 

Do not risk your health for foolish reasons. You do not need big breasts.

 **

References:  http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-21/breast-implant-cancer-much-more-common-than-previously-thought/8136286

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-16391522

https://www.drugs.com/cg/breastfeeding-and-breast-implants.html

http://www.babycenter.com/0_breastfeeding-after-breast-augmentation-implants_8680.bc