A Johannesburg woman who always wanted fuller breasts had silicone implants when she was 25 to give her the 34C bust she desired. According to a Sunday Times report, 15 years later, she has just had them removed, convinced that the exhaustion, anxiety, stiffness, skin problems and depression she experienced for five years were caused by breast implant illness. She is one of tens of thousands of women around the world convinced their implants are responsible for symptoms such as chest pain, hair loss, headaches, chills, photo-sensitivity, chronic pain, rashes, anxiety, brain fog and sleep disturbance. South African doctors said in the report that they are seeing growing numbers of patients asking for implants to be removed due to similar symptoms.
Dr Isabel do Vale, spokesperson for the Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons of Southern Africa, said: “International literature states that up to half of patients presenting with possible breast implant illness requesting explantation (implant removal) may experience an improvement of their symptoms.”
The report says last month, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons said women with implants should be warned of the potential risk of implant illness, and called for more research into the syndrome. In the US, the Food and Drug Administration held a two-day hearing about the safety of implants. It said it would not ban them for now, but would increase its efforts to distribute information about potential risks.
[link url="https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/lifestyle/health-and-sex/2019-08-18-boob-jobs-blamed-for-fatigue-and-depression/"]Sunday Times report (subscription needed)[/link]