Silicone breast implants may lead to autoimmune disease

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Approximately 300,00 breast implant surgeries are performed in the United States each year. But the surgery doesn’t come without risks.

In fact, the evidence is clear. According to one of the most comprehensive literature reviews to date on the subject, silicone implants can lead to a debilitating illness in recipients.

One possible condition is an autoimmune disease called autoimmune syndrome induced by adjuvants, or AISA. This typically occurs one-year after implantation and can lead to an overactive immune system response.

An overactive immune system response happens when a person’s body recognizes a foreign object, but then is unable to tell the difference between healthy and unhealthy cells, which causes the body to attack itself. Side effects of AISA include feeling weak, tired and an inability to heal at a normal rate.

News 8 spoke with Dr. Jan Willem Cohen Tervaert, researcher at the University of Alberta and coauthor of the review, who explains what scientists think is causing people with implants to get sick.

“It’s likely the silicone itself,” he said. “But it can also be the biofilm around the silicon. Others say it’s the metal platinum in the implants. So, there are many factors that could be the issue.”

Considering the risk of illness, Tervaert recommends people seriously consider whether breast augmentation is right for them before following through with the procedure.