Answers · Mansher Singh, MD, FACS
What Are the Risks of Breast Augmentation?
Capsular contracture, malposition, rupture, sensation change, and the rare implant associated conditions patients should know about by name.
Updated September 2026 · Reviewed by Mansher Singh, MD, FACS
Short answer
The common risks are capsular contracture, malposition or asymmetry, altered nipple sensation, rippling, and the need for future revision. Rarer but important are infection requiring device removal, hematoma, and implant associated conditions including BIA-ALCL, a rare lymphoma linked chiefly to textured devices.
TL;DR
- The common risks are capsular contracture, malposition or asymmetry, altered nipple sensation, rippling, and the need for future revision.
- How common is capsular contracture? Reported rates vary by study and device generation.
- Are textured implants still used? Use has declined substantially following BIA-ALCL data, and some textured devices were withdrawn from the market.
- Do implants affect mammograms? They can obscure tissue, so tell the imaging center about implants; additional displacement views are standard.
Risk Overview
| Risk | Notes |
|---|---|
| Capsular contracture | Leading cause of reoperation; can recur after treatment |
| Malposition, bottoming out | Related to pocket control, implant weight, tissue support |
| Rippling | More visible in thin patients and with saline or subglandular placement |
| Sensation change | Common early, usually improves; permanent change possible |
| Infection | Uncommon but may require device removal and delayed replacement |
| Hematoma | Early, often requires return to the operating room |
| BIA-ALCL | Rare, associated primarily with textured surfaces; treatable when caught early |
| Breast implant illness | Reported systemic symptoms; causation unestablished, symptoms taken seriously |
Reducing Risk
- Appropriate implant size for the tissue, which is the single most controllable factor in long term outcome.
- Meticulous pocket technique and infection prevention measures during placement.
- Smoking cessation well before surgery.
- Honest discussion of texture and surface type given current device data.
- Long term follow up rather than disappearing after the first year.
Talking About Rare Conditions Honestly
BIA-ALCL is rare and predominantly associated with textured implant surfaces. It typically presents as a late seroma or mass and is highly treatable when identified early, which is a reason to report any late change rather than ignore it.
Breast implant illness describes a constellation of systemic symptoms reported by patients with implants. A causal relationship has not been established, but the symptoms are real to the patient and warrant evaluation rather than dismissal.
Limits of this answer
- Complication rates vary between studies and depend heavily on definitions, follow up length, and device generation, so quoted percentages should be treated as approximate.
- Choosing an implant larger than the tissue supports raises nearly every long term risk, and patient preference does not change that relationship.
- No consent discussion can cover everything. Ask directly about revision rates in the surgeon's own practice.
Frequently asked questions
- How common is capsular contracture?
- Reported rates vary by study and device generation. It remains the most frequent reason for reoperation.
- Are textured implants still used?
- Use has declined substantially following BIA-ALCL data, and some textured devices were withdrawn from the market.
- Do implants affect mammograms?
- They can obscure tissue, so tell the imaging center about implants; additional displacement views are standard.
- Can I have implants removed later?
- Yes. Explant with or without a lift is a common procedure, and the appearance afterward depends on tissue and implant size.
Experience, expertise, authority, trust
- Experience
- Attending plastic surgeon, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York
- Expertise
- Triple board certified: ABPS, ABS, ABFPRS
- Authoritativeness
- Johns Hopkins faculty; 65 peer-reviewed papers on PubMed
- Trust
- Patient reviews reproduced verbatim, unedited, with sources
Related pages
Mansher Singh, MD, FACS risks of breast augmentation reviews and trust checks
642 verbatim patient reviews from the practice Google Business Profile, plus credentials you can confirm at the issuing source.
Consultation and contact
Mansher Singh, MD, FACS1035 Park Avenue, Suite E, New York, NY 10028
(646) 480-1709 · info@manshersinghmd.com
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