Breast Implant Illness (BII) has sparked conversation in the news recently, following a substantial number of women coming forward about their experiences of the illness and complications caused by breast augmentation surgery.

American plastic surgeon, Dr. Anthony Youn, has recently gone viral after posting a video on TikTok about the illness, controversially claiming that BII is a genuine illness with real symptoms.

Although an official diagnosis is yet to be identified for Breast Implant Illness, surgeons like Dr. Youn have been calling for thorough research into the illness following the complaints of tens of thousands of women shared on online forums.

Women suffering from Breast Implant Illness experience a variety of symptoms; including hair loss, rashes, muscle pain, aching joints, and even thyroid conditions that can cause chronic fatigue.

Michelle Visage, a well loved American TV personality, has become one of the leading voices in spreading the word about the dangers of breast implants, after recently having hers removed due to severe health complications linked to BII.

What is Breast Implant Illness?

Breast Implant Illness (BII) is the term that sufferers and doctors give to a broad spectrum of symptoms that sometimes develop after reconstruction or cosmetic breast augmentation surgery.

Surgery to remove the breast implants can improve or sometimes completely resolve the symptoms, however this is not true to all cases.

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) has stated that “around 50% of women who self-identify as having BII feel that their symptoms improve after implant removal – sometimes temporarily and sometimes permanently. It therefore appears that removing breast implants does not necessarily improve symptoms in everyone.”

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms caused by BII can vary and are unique to each case. They can present themselves at any time after surgery - some almost instantly, others years later.

Symptoms can include:

• Joint and muscle pain and aches
• Redness
• Fatigue or chronic fatigue
• Continuous swelling around the breast implant
• Difficulty concentrating/remembering things
• Breathing problems
• Hormonal issues
• Insomnia
• Discharge around the implant
• Rashes and skin problems
• Dry mouth and eyes
• Anxiety and depression
• Headaches
• Hair loss
• Gastrointestinal problems
• A collection of fluid around the implant

What help is available?

If you are suffering from symptoms that you think might be related to BII, it is important that you visit your GP in the first instance to raise your concerns.

Be mindful that your symptoms might not necessarily be related to your implants, and that other causes should not be immediately dismissed.

There are a number of resources online where you are free to engage with other people who are suffering from the same illness. Forums such as the UK Breast Implant Illness and Healing Support Group are there to support and offer guidance for like-minded sufferers.

Miss Diagnosed has spoken in depth about her experience with the illness, raising awareness and offering advice about how she has dealt with the situation. Her site offers comfort in the form of success stories from other sufferers, recipes which she claims ease the symptoms, posts about her journey so far, and links to helpful media coverage and documentaries that put a spotlight on the issue.

To find out if you have a claim for breast implant compensation, get in touch with our specialist team of medical negligence solicitors who operate on a no-win, no-fee basis. Call us today on 0800 634 0285, or arrange a call back by using our online contact form.

If you've had Breast implant Surgery that has gone wrong, then our team of solicitors can help you, learn more about making a breast implant claim here