What are the Dangers of Breast Surgery

Dangers of breast surgery and what to expect from a surgical procedure

Breast augmentation has consistently been one of the most popular cosmetic surgical procedures in the US, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. This fact highlights the real insecurity many women feel about the size of their breasts. Unfortunately, undergoing breast surgery involves a lot of risks and puts the health of the patient in danger.

Here are some of the dangers women who undergo breast surgery face:

General risks associated with surgery – Any form of surgery has some risks involved with it, and the possible complications include infection, excessive bleeding and adverse reaction to the anesthesia. In addition, there is a chance that you may develop a blood clot in your vein (venous thromboembolism), which is a serious condition that can potentially lead to death.

Dangers of Breast Surgery - Woman lying on operating room table

Capsular contraction 

This is a complication that is particular to breast surgery and involves the scar tissue that develops around the implant as your body heals. This scar tissue is in the form of a capsule and will shrink over time. However, there is a risk that the capsule will squeeze the implant, resulting in discomfort or pain and making the breast feel hard. You will likely need to have further surgical procedures to resolve the problem.

Implant rupture

This is a risk particularly associated with older implants, which had thin walls. If your implant contains silicone and it ruptures and leaks, it can cause complications such as silicon mass (small lumps in the breast which may need to be surgically removed).

There is also the possibility that your implant may rupture and you may not be aware of it, although some signs, such as tenderness in the breast, lumpiness, and swelling, may be noticeable.

Breast Implant Rupture

In addition, there is some debate as to how unsafe silicone gel is when it leaks into your body. A small number of patients have reported complications such as rashes, hair loss, painful and swollen joints, muscle pain and spasms.

Negative outcomes

There is always a risk that you will not get the results that you want and that your breasts may end up looking uneven in shape or size. In addition, while a certain amount of scarring is normal and is usually mild, in a few cases, it may be more severe. The resulting scars may be inflamed, red, lumpy and painful.

Lack of sensation in the nipples

A certain percentage of women after undergoing breast surgery may find themselves with nipples that are either less sensitive or more sensitive. In some cases, the breast may either become completely desensitized or be so sensitive that they are painful when touched.

It should also be noted that breast implants will not last forever and they will eventually break. This is why you will need to be regularly monitored to check on the condition of your implants. If they break, then they will have to be replaced, which means having to undergo further surgeries.

Finally, breast implants may make it more difficult to screen for breast cancer since the technician may not be able to get the best image during a mammogram, which also makes it harder to interpret the test.


Every year thousands of women undergo breast augmentation surgery with little or no side effects, others begin to have complications during initial recovery from surgery. If you are doing it for cosmetic reasons you may want to think twice.

Make sure you check to make sure the doctor performing the surgery has a good track record, if you can, try and get as many referrals as possible.

If it is only a slight increase in breast size that you are looking for a natural breast enhancement method such as using a breast enlargement cream or pump may be a better alternative.
