Rupture or Leaking of Breast Implants

• One possible complication of breast surgery is that the saline implant may break. If it does break, the implant will deflate. In addition, the body will absorb the salt water from the implant.
  
  The rupture or leaking of an implant also results in decreased breast size, hard knots, uneven appearance of the breasts, pain or tenderness, tingling, swelling, numbness, burning or other changes in sensation.
  
  

Breast Implants Harden

• The hardening of the breast or Capsular Contracture is a very common complication of breast surgery or augmentation.
  
  Capsular Contracture occurs when the scar tissue hardens around the breast implant. It may occur right after surgery for no apparent reason, however, it most commonly occurs after some type of infection appears in the breast tissue.
  
  The type of implant used in breast surgery is directly correlated to whether Capsular Contracture occurs. It is much less common and less severe with saline implants than with silicone breast implants.
  
  

Rippling of Breast Implants

• Rippling looks like indentations or waviness on the surface of the breast and is the result of the saline moving inside the implant.
  
  Rippling usually occurs when the implant is placed above the breast muscle and not on the breast tissue. It also occurs when the surface of the implant, before it is implanted, is not smooth of the implant in under filled.
  
  

Sagging of Breasts

• Another complication associated with breast surgery is the sagging of the breast.
  
  This occurs when the implant placed above the breast muscle. Since the implant is placed above the breast muscle, the implant is likely to be higher on the chest than the breast tissue supporting it. There might be separate breast tissue hanging from the firmer breast implant, resulting in the look of sagging breasts.
  
  This can be avoided if the surgeon performs a mastopexy or breast lift along with the breast augmentation.
  
  

Sensation Loss or Change in Breast

• After breast surgery, it is very common to have temporary numbness. In extreme cases, the numbness may be permanent. The risk of having permanently numb nipples is around 15 percent.
  
  Also, there may be a radical change in the feeling of sensation in breast. There can be a diminished sense of feeling in the breast or increased sense of feeling in the breast.
  
  Breast implants placed above the breast muscle have a greater risk for interfering with breast tissue near the skin. When the breast implant interferes with breast tissue near the skin, sensation change occurs.
  
  Also, sensation change occurs if the surgeon injures the nerves that lead to the nipple area. All incisions carry the risk of diminishing or changing sensations in the breast.