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There are major risks to getting a boob job.
By Christine Schoenwald — Written on Jul 16, 2021
We all want to look and feel good about ourselves. And sometimes the things we want to change or fix are things we were born with; other times, they're the result of an illness or accident.
In 2008, more than 300,000 women and teenagers underwent surgery to have their breasts enlarged with silicone or saline implants, and almost 80,000 breast cancer patients had reconstruction after mastectomy.
Breast implants are the number one type of cosmetic surgery in the United States and will cost you approximately $3,708.
Unfortunately, there are a number of reasons not to get breast implants.
The pros and cons of breast augmentation need to be carefully studied before making a decision on whether or not to get a boob job.
“It might be worthwhile to reflect on the recent changes in your life and ask yourself what is driving the need to make a change to your body," says YourTango Expert Mei Phing Lim. "Do you genuinely want it for yourself, or you’re trying to shut out critics and your own negative thoughts around your body image?”
Here are six terrifying reasons you shouldn't get breast implants.
1. Women who get breast implants are four times more likely to commit suicide.
One study found that suicide among women who got breast implants after a mastectomy had a suicide rate that was ten times higher compared to other mastectomy patients.
In another study from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, researchers found that women who had breast enlargement surgery were three times as likely to commit suicide, and were three times as likely to die from drug and alcohol dependence.
2. They aren't necessarily safe.
Although saline-filled and silicone gel-filled implants have been approved by the FDA, there are risks with all breast implants.
In an article on Anonhq, they list the risks of breast implants, which include additional surgeries, capsular contracture (scar tissue that squeezes the implant), breast pain, ruptures with deflation of saline-filled implants, and silent (without symptoms) rupture of silicone gel-filled implants.
3. They can cause serious illness.
Implants are large foreign objects that overwhelm and impair our immune systems, causing immune system dysfunction and auto-immune symptoms.
Immune system dysfunction allows opportunistic bacteria and fungi to grow out of control, causing serious bacterial and fungal infections in our body, producing large amounts of biotoxins that overload our organs.
Symptoms include joint and muscle pain, memory loss, digestive issues, fevers, rapid heartbeat, ear ringing, headaches, and liver and kidney dysfunction.
4. Most women who have implants experience complications.
Approximately three out of four reconstruction (breast cancer) patients and almost half of first-time augmentation patients, using either saline implants or silicone gel implants, experienced pain, infection, hardening, or the need for additional surgery.
Side effects include infection, tenderness, lumpiness or discomfort around the implants, breast or nipple numbness, scar tissue, disfigured breasts, necrosis, unusual hair loss, and dry eyes, mouth, or vagina.
5. You're more susceptible to getting cancer.
In 2011, the FDA identified a link between breast implants and the development of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), a rare type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Women who have breast implants may have a very small but increased risk of developing ALCL in the fluid or scar tissue surrounding the implant. Like other lymphomas, ALCL is a cancer of the immune system and not of breast tissue.
6. They affect breastfeeding.
A recent study found that women who have had any kind of breast surgery are three times as likely to have a diminished milk supply for breastfeeding.
And another study found that children who were breastfed after the mother had breast implants had higher levels of a toxic form of platinum in their blood than the children born before the same woman had breast implants.
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Christine Schoenwald is a writer, performer, and astrology lover. She has written over 500 articles on the zodiac signs and how the stars influence us. She's had articles in The Los Angeles Times, Salon, and Woman's Day. Visit her website or and her Instagram.