Let’s look at the TOP 3 side effects of breast augmentation!

 

Anyone who is considering breast augmentation will at some point worry about the potential side effects.

As we mentioned in the previous blog post, chances of side effects are between 0.5 and 30%, but in the case of our hospital, this risk is reduced to just 0.2~0.3%.

If you are considering breast augmentation or if you have already done it, it’s good to be aware in advance of the side effects and its symptoms for safer results.

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We can list three major side effects of breast augmentation – capsular contraction, inflammation, and hematoma.

Let’s look over their causes and symptoms, and how to treat them.

 

 

Capsular Contraction

Capsular contraction is the main side effect of breast augmentation with implants. It’s a condition in which scar tissue around the implant forms abnormally thick and starts to contract, making the implant change shape.

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Causes

The true cause of capsular contraction is still unknown, but generally it can be attributed to bacterial infection, inflammation, and hematoma, as well as genetic factors.

(It can occur due to bacterial infection of the implant; it can be caused by an untreated inflammation or hematoma, or in some cases it might be a genetic thing.)

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Symptoms

The scar tissue around the implant gradually grows thicker, making the breast feel hard to the touch. The implant starts to shift into a rounder shape, so the upper part of the breast appears more protruding. It’s also painful.

 

Treatment

To treat the capsular contraction, we must identify what caused it. If the cause is not treated, there’s a very high chance of capsular contraction reappearing after revisional surgery.

At our hospital, when the cause of capsular contraction is difficult to identify, we cover a part of the implant with artificial dermis, which blocks the formation of scar tissue, therefore reducing the chances of capsular contraction.

 

 

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Inflammation

Causes

Inflammation can be caused by various factors, the most common ones being bacterial infection, and genetic factors.

Bacterial infection can occur during the surgical procedure, but there is also the risk of it occurring externally.

Genetic factors can also contribute to inflammation.  

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Symptoms

Signs pointing towards an inflammation are usually sudden redness or fever around the skin of the surgical area. It may also be accompanied by swelling and pain.

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Treatment

In cases of mild inflammation, the symptoms can be alleviated by medication alone. We usually prescribe antibiotics or anti-inflammatory analgesics.

If there is no improvement with medication, the inflammation needs to be treated by cleaning the implant.

 

 

 

Hematoma

Hematoma refers to blood pooling and thickening around the surgical area.

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Causes

There are two major causes of a hematoma. Either 1) hemostasis (the process of preventing and stopping the bleeding) was not properly achieved during surgery; or 2) there has been a rebleeding in the surgical area after the surgery.

 

Symptoms

Hematoma usually occurs on one side rather than on both, and it can result in one breast being unusually bigger, with severe bruising, and pain.

  

Treatment

In case of a small hematoma, it can naturally be absorbed as time goes by, but in case there is a bigger amount, it is likely to develop into capsular contraction, so the wound need to be reopened to remove the hematoma and wash the implant.

 

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We hope you learned more about the three main side effects of breast augmentation.

While they don’t occur often, they can lead to serious problems. The sooner you catch on to their symptoms and seek treatment, the less likely it is to develop into a critical condition, so if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, please contact the hospital where you did your surgery for a medical check-up and appropriate treatment.