Silicon Breast Implants

Silicon is the second most common element found in the earth's crust behind oxygen and is a naturally, occurring element found in sand, quartz, and rock. When combined with oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen, silicon creates silicone, one of the most common items found in consumer products including silicone breast implants.

Up to 1992, silicon breast implants were the most common breast implants used. Although silicone continues to be used as a shell within breast implants, the type of filler material most commonly used in breast implants is now saline. This is because of a ruling made in 1992 by the Food and Drug Administration that prohibited access to silicon breast implants from the general public. The advantage of silicon breast implants lay in its ability to provide a more natural look and feel compared to saline breast implants. Created in the early 1960s by the plastic surgeons Cronin and Gerow, commercial manufacturing of silicon breast implants began in 1962 by Down Corning. Considered the standard for breast implant material, silicon breast implants fell out of favor when concerns were brought up about the effects of silicone circulating through the body in instances of silicon breast implant rupture and/or gel bleed.

Concerns were brought up that silicon breast implants led to a higher rate of illnesses like connective tissue disease, immunological disorders, neurological disorders, capsular contracture, and an increased risk of cancer in patients. Although the FDA was unable to find conclusive evidence to support these claims, they were unable to acquire evidence that convincingly displayed the safety of silicon breast implants. As a result, the FDA imposed a moratorium on breast implants in 1992 for the general public's safety. This ban, however, does not necessarily mean that silicon breast implants lead to a higher occurrence of disease.

With increased scientific studies being conducted on the safety of silicon breast implants, it is still possible for women over the age of 18 to obtain silicon breast implants by enrolling in a study. However, there are some restrictions on who is able to take part in these studies. If you currently meet any points in the following criteria, you will be ineligible for obtaining silicon breast implants:

• Presence of infection is found.
• You are either pregnant or are nursing.
• Lupus or scleroderma has been diagnosed in you.
• A disease such as uncontrolled diabetes that impairs wound healing is found in you.

Currently, it is possible for women to take part in these studies if they meet these criteria:

• Must be undergoing reconstructive surgery due to being a mastectomy patient.
• Must be undergoing revision surgery due to complications caused by saline breast implants such as capsular contracture or rippling.
• Must be having a breast lift (mastopexy) performed in addition to breast augmentation treatment.
• Must be currently affected by a chest wall deformity such as pectus excavatum, pectus carinatum, or scoliosis.
• Must have a history of treatment for breast cancer that has resulted in a loss of a breast.
• Must be undergoing treatment to correct severe asymmetries of the breast.