This may be the first time you are hearing about Breast Implant Illness (BII), or you may have suspected for years that BII is affecting your health. In either case, you probably still have a number of questions about BII, including why it happened to you and how it can be treated. While it is important for patients to understand that Breast Implant Illness is not yet fully understood by the medical community, there is still compelling evidence to show that taking certain steps can provide life-changing relief from BII symptoms. Top Beverly Hills board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Jaime S. Schwartz understands the extremely frustrating nature of BII and strives to help patients restore their health, happiness, and quality of life by addressing BII head-on. Keep reading to learn more about Breast Implant Illness and find out when it may be right to seek treatment for your symptoms.
WHAT IS BII?
Breast implant illness is a diagnosis of exclusion that is characterized by a constellation of symptoms unable to be explained otherwise. In some cases, patients’ symptoms can begin as soon as six weeks after their breast augmentation, though other women may not develop BII symptoms for years or even decades. At the present time, BII is not able to be definitively diagnosed with lab work, imaging studies, or any other type of testing, but the presence of certain symptoms in women with synthetic breast implants – of any kind – often points to the probability of Breast Implant Illness. These BII symptoms may include one or more of the following:
- Fatigue
- Mood changes
- Brain fog
- Memory problems
- Unexplained weight loss or weight gain
- Frequent headaches/migraines
- Skin rashes or acne
- Chronic pain
- Hair loss
- The development of an autoimmune disease
- The development of a food allergy
- GI problems
WHAT CAUSES BII?
There is no proven cause of BII, and it can affect women with either saline or silicone implants at virtually any point after their surgery. In some studies, it seems that women who have a personal or family history of an autoimmune disorder are somewhat more likely to develop BII symptoms than other patients. Generally speaking, BII is often thought to be related to an adverse reaction to the synthetic materials contained in the breast implant shell and/or filler.
HOW IS BII TREATED?
Because BII is still not a definitive medical diagnosis, there is no specific course of treatment for it. However, a remarkable number of women report dramatic or even complete relief from their BII symptoms when their breast implants are removed.
SHOULD I GET TREATMENT FOR BREAST IMPLANT ILLNESS?
Choosing to have your breast implants removed, revised, or replaced is a personal decision that should be carefully considered and discussed with your provider. It is important for patients considering breast implant removal for BII to understand that there is no guarantee that removing breast implants will alleviate BII symptoms, though many women do report symptom relief following implant removal. If your symptoms are disrupting your everyday life or are causing physical pain or psychological distress and can’t be attributed to any other diagnosis, it may be time to consider being evaluated for BII and breast implant removal.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO LIVE WITH BREAST IMPLANT ILLNESS. CONSIDER YOUR OPTIONS FOR BREAST IMPLANT REMOVAL IN BEVERLY HILLS, CA
Because BII isn’t a medically diagnosable condition, many women feel like their concerns are not taken seriously, but our caring team is here to listen and help. To learn more about your options for breast implant removal and other options for addressing your breast implant illness in Beverly Hills, call to schedule your one-on-one consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Jaime S. Schwartz today.
