Breast Ruptures: What If Breast Implants Rupture?

Breast implant ruptures can cause pain, changes in the shape of the breast, and other complications. However, a ruptured breast implant can also go unnoticed for many years. As time passes, it is more likely that a breast implant will break. The older the implants are, the higher the chance of it rupturing or deflating. Dr. Firouz is a double board-certified Beverly Hills plastic surgeon and delivers the highest level of care and quality to his patients with every procedure he performs. During a consultation with Dr. Firouz, he will guide you through the process and ensure your safety is his top priority.

Ruptures are holes or tears that occur in the breast implant’s outer shell after breast augmentation. There are a number of causes of breast implant ruptures which can include capsular contracture, compression during a mammogram, normal aging of the implant, trauma, and more.

For saline breast implants, this can cause the implant to deflate. This causes the saline to leak from the shell and is referred to as ‘deflation’. If deflation occurs, the saline solution leaks immediately into the body over the next few days. One will be able to notice the difference because the implant will lose its original shape and size.

For silicone gel-filled breast implants, it is harder to notice if a rupture takes place. This is due to the fact that the gel is cohesive and will likely stay in one piece. The gel will remain within the shell or capsule formed around the implant. Women may notice their breast implants becoming smaller or feel hard lumps formed in the chest, armpit, or arm area. Unevenness in both breast implants may also show as well as tenderness, swelling, numbness, or other changes in sensation. Sometimes the breast ruptures will occur outside of the capsule or ‘lining’ of the implant. However, there are ‘silent ruptures’ that can happen inside of the capsule. Women will not be able to tell just by looking at their implants if this takes place. An MRI would be the best method for detecting a silent rupture from silicone breast implants.

Dr. Jimmy Firouz is a board-certified plastic surgeon and with vast experience in breast revision and breast augmentation surgery. He will work with you to ensure the best possible methods are used for your specific procedure. He understands the risks involved with breast implant ruptures and educates his patients about safety measures. Dr. Firouz prioritizes safety for all of his patients and consistently checks his patients for any changes or inconsistencies following their surgery. Breast implant ruptures only occur very rarely but our staff considers your safety first which is why regular check-ups are important after your procedure.

If you are interested in learning more about breast surgery, please contact Dr. Firouz today to schedule your initial consultation by calling (310) 274-4321.