I’ll try and give as honest account as I can….
I first had them put in back in 2007, I kept them for 5 years before replacing them. Replaced because of the wrong size first time round. Second set were lovely and very natural and I was very happy with them, I was happy with the first set too but second set were much better and I loved them, to be honest I still do.
So my second set are now 10 years old, I paid extra to have implants with a 25 year guarantee and I may as well have poured that money down the drain. Most implants have issues around the 7-10 year mark though there are exceptions and some had issues a lot sooner and others issues well after the 10 year mark regardless of how long manufacturers say they will last.
All implants are now sold and issued with a black warning label as that’s how harmful they can be to your health. Many women end up suffering from what’s known as BII which is breast implant illness and there is also a cancer that is specifically caused by implants this is known as BIALCL or breast implant associated large cell lymphoma.
What happens to cause these issues, and why do they affect some more than others?
Simply put breast implants are a foreign object that is placed inside your body, and inside your body they are subject to a constant warm and wet environment which over time degrades the silicone and it’s only a matter of time before this becomes toxic to your body, specifically your endocrine system. As endocrine system disrupters breast implants cause a wide range of symptoms and illnesses, the majority of illnesses being autoimmune condition such as Hashimoto’s, Lupus, Graves’ disease, Addison’s disease and that’s just to name a few. Many women have been diagnosed with these illnesses and following the removal of their implants find that they are no longer symptomatic or are found to not have the illnesses at all.
For me my symptoms started almost 3 years ago and it’s been a long road of chasing symptoms and being referred to various specialists. Do I still love the look of my implants? Absolutely yes I do. Do I love what impact they have on my health? Absolutely not. It will be a hard and sad day when I can eventually get them taken out (currently saving for this) some women get sick enough that the NHS will pay for the removal, lucky enough for me I’m not that sick and I’ll be able to pay for my own explant with a little saving.
Do I regret having them put in? Yes and no, yes because obviously I’ve faced serious health issues for the last 3 years, I’m now always going to be at an increased risk of a certain type of cancer due to the silicone as even with explant/removal they cannot ever remove 100% of the silicone as moves around the body and ends up stuck in lymph nodes, and the fact that my body will never be the same. No because despite all of that I have enjoyed having them in, I have loved how they have looked and I have loved the increased body confidence they gave me. Overall would I choose to have them again? No, absolutely not.
Important note: ALL implants contain silicone even the saline implants, the filling is saline but all implants have a silicone shell. The textured shells seem to be those that cause the most issues as they are a breeding ground for mould and bacteria. Smooth implants seems to suffer this issue less, but they do still suffer from it. There is NO such thing as a safe implant, they all come with the black label warning. There are several ongoing class action law suits against implant manufacturers going on in other countries including the UK. There are several support groups for those who are suffering with the effects of BII and BIA LCL, you can research these yourself.
My advice is look at ALL the evidence, thing long and hard and very very carefully and about the long term implications before you make any firm decisions, don’t just believe what cosmetic companies tell you, or their surgeons.
Sorry this has been so long, but I felt it was important to share. I am so sorry if it’s not what you want to hear as I know how exciting considering this surgery can be, but please do think very very carefully.