Problems with implants can include a failure of the implant shell or your body’s negative reaction to the implants. When a saline implant ruptures or leaks, it deflates, and the saline filling is naturally absorbed by the body with no negative health effects. When this happens, the change in breast size is noticeable. When a silicone implant ruptures or leaks, the gel remains in place, so the change may not be noticeable. Silicone implant ruptures are typically detected in annual mammograms.
Negative reactions to implants can include a condition known as capsular contracture, in which the natural scar tissue that forms around the implant thickens and hardens. You might feel this as discomfort, or even pain, or it might become noticeable by a change in the breast’s shape.
Problems with implants are corrected by surgery to remove the implants and any problematic scar tissue and, if you choose, to replace the implants.