The complaints eventually led the FDA to ban the implants for cosmetic breast enlargement in 1992. Many women who have the implants are still wondering if they should go under the knife once more to remove the potentially dangerous implants. According to the March issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource, women probably don't need to remove their implants if they aren't causing any problems. After the dust settled on the rash of health complaints, law suits and the resulting FDA ban, the scientific community concluded that there was no evidence that autoimmune and connective tissue diseases were caused by silicone breast implants. Although implant manufacturers were able to show that their product wasn't harmful, the FDA didn't consider that the same as proving them to be safe, so the ban remained in place.
Breast implants do carry risks, as do all foreign substances that are placed inside the body.
The body reacts with inflammation and scarring that can result in painful hardening. Nearly 25 percent of implant recipients have some kind of post-surgical complication, including hardening and ruptured implants. If you have silicone breast implants that aren't causing you problems, they can probably be left alone. However, if you are having complications, talk to your doctor.