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Silicone breast Implants and Their Effect On Your Body

Silicone Breast Implants & Their Effect On Your Body

I am sure you are aware of the controversy in the past regarding silicone and breast implants. The explosion of the internet and free web hosting now makes it possible for everyone in the world to have a website, or two or more!, of their own to display whatever it is they feel, believe in or would like to convey to the world. Even if this means to misinform the universe, whether on purpose or not, it can be accomplished more easily through the internet. In this section we will discuss silica, silicon and silicone. We will ultimately discuss how silicone is made and what its impacts on the body are.

Silica is silicon dioxide SiO2, it occurs in a crystalline state, an amorphous (shapeless) state and in impure forms such as quartz, opal and sand, respectively. "In the form of silicates it is present in most natural water supplies. Typical concentrations lie between 1 and 30 mg/L. Higher concentrations may exist in brackish waters and brines. " (3)

Silicon is a "nonmetallic element that occurs combined as the most abundant element next to oxygen in the earth's crust and is used especially in alloys and electronic device" (Merriam-Webster). It may not BE a metal but it is considered semi-metallic. In other words, "Silicon doesn't occur in the free, elemental state, but is found in the form of silicon dioxide and complex silicates". It was "discovered" in 1824 by Jons Jacob Berzelius. "Silicon is important in plant and animal life. Diatoms in both fresh and salt water extract silica from the water to use as a component of their cell walls". (1) Silicon is used in many household items such as transistors, micro chips and electronics. Hence, Silicon Valley - the computer capital.

Silicone is any of the "various polymeric organic silicon compounds obtained as oils, greases, or plastics and used especially for water-resistant and heat-resistant lubricants, varnishes, binders, and electric insulators" (Merriam-Webster) It is also found in processed foods, cosmetics, medications and all sorts of products that you are exposed to and ingest on a daily basis. It is also used to lubricate medical devices such as tubing, hypodermic needles and is found in the food industry as being used to lubricate blenders, frozen drink machines, piping, cooking utensils, and machines.

Silicones are synthetic polymers and are made by combining oxygen and silicon and in high temperatures and pressures can produce polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The fluids are made from linear chains of PDMS whereas the gels are lightly crosslinked to give it a thicker cohesive-ness.

Although without a container such as a highly cross-linked silicone elastomer breast prosthesis the silicone gel takes on no shape of its own and is very vulnerable to gravity and momentum, if applicable. The elastomer implant shells contain very little free PDMS so that it remains a solid. However "like can not hold like" so the lower weighted molecular silicones bleed through the elastomer shells, even with the presence of protective inner barriers.

Silicone & Its Uses In the Body
Silicone products, in their solid form, have been used within the body for years and years without incident other than occasional sensitivity and capsulation (which happens with all foreign bodies inserted into the human body as this is its way of sealing off the foreign object from the body). Capsulation is when the body forms a fibrous tissue capsule around a foreign body as it does not recognize it as its own, why would it?

Solid Silicone is used to augment or reconstruct the cheeks, the chin, the brow bone, calves, pectoral areas for men, joints, fingers, rotary cuffs, testicles and buttocks, as well as a multitude of other medical uses. Obviously, I am for the use of solid silicone and silicone elastomer shelled implants for use in the body. The United States FDA released a Clean Bill of Health for the use of medical grade silicone elastomer-shelled, saline-filled Mammary Prostheses for breast augmentation and reconstruction.

Silicone & Autoimmune Disorders
There has been absolutely no definitive evidence suggesting a link between silicone and autoimmune disorders such assystemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, etc. For more information, please see

Independent Review Group's Website This IRG website is UK government-run, containing evidential findings, studies, and reports by hundreds of scientists and their staff from several countries, including the US. They are unbiased and, to my knowledge, have no monetary interest in the breast implant industry.

Safety of Silicone Breast Implants - National Academy Institute Of Medicine (IOM) has a full text report online which is definitely a must read. NAIM reported, "In an overall consideration of the epidemiological evidence, the committee noted that because there are more than 1.5 million adult women of all ages in the United States with silicone breast implants, some of these women would be expected to develop connective tissue diseases, cancer, neurological diseases or other systemic complaints or conditions. Evidence suggests that such diseases or conditions are no more common in women with breast implants than in women without implants." I urge you to read this collection of information.

Silicone Breast Implants in Relation to Connective Tissue Diseases and Immunologic Dysfunction - National Science Panel Immunology Conclusions: The main conclusion that can be drawn from existing studies is that women with silicone breast implants do not display a silicone-induced systemic abnormality in the types or functions of cells of the immune system. Please review this information to better understand the conclusions regarding autoimmune and toxicology and silicone breast implants.

Silicone-Filled Implants & "Gel Bleed"? Silicone-filled implants do bleed. The lower molecular silicones, which are reported to possibly be upwards of 85% of the silicone filler in the implants, bleed through the higher crosslinked silicone elastomer barrier in situ and in vivo (outside and inside the body, respectively). Read below:

"There is some debate as to what degree the silicone materials used to fill implants are crosslinked. Some authors propose that the implant filler consists of only 5 to 15% chemically crosslinked silicone gel, leaving 85 to 95% of the low molecular mass filling material with a fairly low viscosity." IRG website - Rupture (2)

Which accounts for the migration capabilities of lower molecular weighted silicone variances. These lower molecular weight silicone molecules are also more likely to stimulate biological activity in vivo as well as in suspended serum. Local inflammation does occur from silicone bleed (or silicone injections) and may include macrophage activity, granulomas and migration of the free silicone.

"FDA completed a retrospective study on rupture of silicone gel-filled breast implants.(4) This study was performed in Birmingham, Alabama and included women who had their first breast implant before 1988. Women with silicone gel-filled breast implants had a MRI examination of their breasts to determine the status of their current breast implants. The 344 women who received a MRI examination had a total of 687 implants. Of the 687 implants in the study, at least two of the three study radiologists agreed that 378 implants were ruptured (55%). This means that 69% of the 344 women had at least one ruptured breast implant. Of the 344 women, 73 (21%) had extra-capsular silicone gel in one or both breasts. Factors that were associated with rupture included increasing age of the implant, the implant manufacturer, and sub-muscular rather than sub-glandular location of the implant. A summary of the findings of this study is also available on FDA’s website at http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/breastimplants/studies/biinterview.pdf and http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/breastimplants/studies/birupture.pdf."

(credit: http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/breastimplants/birisk.html)

Silicone Gel Filled Implants
There are certain criteria that women must meet in order to become a part of the silicone gel implant studies. These "criteria" include:

women who had silicone filled implants prior and are seeking a replacement surgery
women with congenital deformities
women who are "thin skinned'
women who have little or no natural breast tissue
women who are breast reconstruction patients
these women must be willing to be a part of the study and participate in clinical follow-ups and sign a waiver.
this is totally individual so please consult with a respectable, and skilled surgeon for more information.

Many women who I have spoken to absolutely love their silicone-filled implants. They advise that it feels more natural, has less rippling, moves more naturally and that they would not trade them if they had to. I personally prefer saline implants.

UPDATE! I am happy to announce that the USA cohesive silicone-filled implant* trials have begun and that we are one step closer to having this particular implant at our disposal! You could slice one of these implants open and you would have no gel bleed.

References:
(1) Institute of Medicine (IOM) - Information for Women about the Safety of Silicone, Nat'l Academy Press
(2) Independent Review Group, UK - Silicone Gel Breast Implants Home Page
(3) APHA Standard Methods, 19th ed., p. 4-118, method 4500-Si D (1995).
ASTM D 859-94, Silica in Water.
EPA Methods for Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastes, method 370.1 (1983).
(4) Brown SL, Middleton MS, Berg WA, Soo MS, Pennello G. Prevalence of rupture of silicone gel breast implants in a population of women in Birmingham, Alabama. American Journal of Roentgenology 2000;175:1-8.

*liquid injectable silicone (LIS) was approved in the U.S. for ophthalmic use only.

**Cohesive Silicone filled implants are currently in US clinical trials but are not approved as of yet.