Breast Implant Safety

Each year, more than 300,000 women and teenagers in the U.S. get breast implants, either for cosmetic reasons or as part of reconstruction after breast cancer surgery. Some of them experience complications directly caused by the implants, such as increased risk of a rare kind of breast cancer, and others experience symptoms and illnesses that appear to be more common in women who receive implants.

Many who have the surgery are unaware of the health risks or the ongoing debate over implant safety. Today the Food and Drug Administration does not adequately inform the public about the agreed-upon risks of breast implants, and too few plastic surgeons provide truly informed consent. Our Bodies Ourselves has worked for years to ensure that women are fully informed about the risks and are able to remove implants if they choose to.

Learn more:

• What You Need to Know About Breast Implants, an article from our close collaborator, the National Center for Health Research.