Silicone implants were at the centre of great controversy in the early 90’s amid claims and fears that silicone could cause breast cancer and various auto-immune diseases.  Since then a number of major world studies, in particular those of:

• “The Institute of Medicine” commissioned by the US Congress;
• “The National Scientific Panel” appointed by the US courts;
• “The Scientific & Technical Options Assessment Programme” commissioned by the European Parliament; and
• “The Independent Review Group” in the United Kingdom, commissioned by the British Minister of Health

- all concluded that there is no increased risk of breast cancer or auto-immune disease, and that breast feeding is safe, in patients with silicone gel implants.

As a result of these findings, silicone implants once again became available. However, unlike the former silicone implants which contained liquid silicone gel that would leak out through a ruptured implant wall, silicone implants nowadays contain a cohesive silicone gel which, in the unlikely event of wall rupture, should not flow out of the implant to the extent the former liquid silicone gel did.

As regards the original claims during the early 90’s that silicone breast implants were causing in some women various auto-immune disorders such as scleroderma or arthritis-like illness, the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) in America refuted those claims with the following statement on 26 September 1991:

“There is no conclusive evidence at present that women with breast implants have an increased risk of developing arthritis-like diseases or other auto-immune diseases.  Women with breast implants who have developed such diseases may have done so regardless of their implants”. 

To the best of our knowledge, this position statement has not since changed.