Frequently Asked Questions

Serving Vancouver and the Portland, Oregon area

Q. Will my ability to breast feed be affected?

A. Many women with breast implants nurse their babies successfully. Nevertheless, it is possible for any breast surgery to interfere with breast feeding.

Q. Do breast implants increase my risk of getting cancer? Of detecting cancer?

A. There is no evidence linking breast implants and breast cancer. Recent studies have shown that the stage of breast cancer detection in women with breast implants appears to be identical to the overall population.

Q. Will augmentation breast surgery make asymmetrical breasts more symmetrical?

A. If your breasts have slightly different shapes before surgery, they may remain slightly different after surgery. Breast implant surgery merely adds to the breast tissue you already have.

Q. Will I lose any sensation in my nipples or skin?

A. Nerves that supply skin or nipple sensation may be cut or traumatized while the pocket or space for the breast implant is being created. Although it doesn't happen routinely, nerve damage can occur no matter how carefully the surgery is performed. If sensory loss occurs, the nerves recover in 1-2 years in about 85% of patients.

Q. How will breast implants affect a mammogram?

A. You should alert the mammography technician to the fact that you have implants. Special techniques will be used and extra views of the breast may be required to see as much of the breast tissue as possible.

Q. Can mammography cause breast implants to burst?

A. Because the breast is compressed during mammography, it is possible for an implant to rupture. However, this is rare.