Symptoms reported but evidence limited.
Within the realm of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, Breast Implant Illness (BII) is a phrase predominantly employed by patients and some healthcare providers to collectively describe a wide range of systemic symptoms that individuals relate to their saline or silicone breast implants. Although the term BII is not a formal medical diagnosis in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) yet, the community of surgeons, as well as worldwide health organizations, including the FDA, acknowledge it as a genuine and important clinical issue. Anyone planning for breast augmentation or explantation must be mindful of the difference between personal experiences and scientifically proven facts.
At Lin Health Europe Clinic, we are committed to a patient-centered and evidence-based systemic health model. We inform our international patients who make the journey to Turkey for our treatments that although most people with implants do not have problems, it doesn’t mean that we don’t take every symptom that is reported very seriously. We are one of the leading clinics in transparent medical consultations and provide a level of clinical thoroughness where your long-term health will be considered under the highest standard of professional care
Defining the Clinical “Symptom Cluster”
The complaints associated with BII are so varied and nonspecific that they are commonly mistaken for symptoms of other diseases. Chronic fatigue, “brain fog”, deafness, joint pain, hair loss and many other skin conditions are some of the symptoms patients typically mention. The medical symptoms experienced by patients are generally immune-related or indicative of inflammation. One subset of researchers under the broad umbrella of ASIA (Autoimmune/Inflammatory Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants) has this hypothesis that it could be BII.
At Lin Health Europe Clinic, our surgeons in Turkey carry out detailed examinations before surgery which include looking for markers of autoimmune conditions that may have existed before. We are convinced that obtaining a top-notch surgical result means that one must start out in good health. When you pick our renowned clinic, rest assured that your medical history is in the hands of experts with deep knowledge of immunological research and who continue to make patient safety their priority, hence being the global gold standard.
Fact vs. Myth: Silicone and Systemic Disease
One widely held belief is that silicone “leaks” poisons into the bloodstream which results in immediate systemic poisoning. The truth however, is that “fifth generation” cohesive gel implants are currently made in a way that they would not allow silicone to come out even if the implant were to break. Although some “gel bleed” (tiny diffusion of silicone molecules) can occur, large-scale epidemiological studies involving hundreds of thousands of women have not yet established a definitive, causative link between silicone implants and established autoimmune diseases like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
In Turkey, the Lin Health Europe Clinic team exclusively utilizes premium, FDA-approved implants that undergo rigorous biocompatibility testing. We focus our attention on the implant’s durability and how it affects the surrounding subcutaneous adipose tissue. Our clinic is globally recognized for only using products that have the highest level of safety certification and this is what we offer our international guests to guarantee a makeover backed by scientific data.
The Phenomenon of Explantation and Symptom Relief
One of the most striking clinical findings on BII is patients’ testimonies of immediate relief of symptoms after implants and the scar tissue removal (capsulectomy). For example, some have said that their discomfort and joint pain decreased significantly just a few days after the “En Bloc” explantation. Scientists still debate whether the relief is due to a placebo effect, the removal of a physical trigger, or the healing of a localized chronic inflammatory condition, but anyway, the clinical trend is a centerpiece of the ongoing investigation.
Our core competency at Lin Health Europe Clinic is our advanced revision and explantation methodology. In Turkey, we are experts in performing total capsulectomies on patients who are convinced that they have symptoms of BII. We think the safest medically advisable thing to do when a person who has implants feels that they are not comfortable with them anymore is a professional and careful removal. Our center is at the forefront in delivering a final and nurturing solution to those who wish to go back to their original state.
Current Scientific Consensus and FDA Stance
Most clinicians still agree that breast implants are safe for the majority of women; however, they are not ‘devices for life’. Therefore, the FDA has ordered that the manufacturers of implants place a so-called black box warning on the packages to make patients aware that there can be systemic symptoms and also the specific risk of BIA-ALCL (a rare type of lymphoma linked to textured implants). Health authorities are continually encouraging women with implants to monitor not only their breasts but also their general health for changes.
We at Lin Health Europe Clinic also make sure that patients in Turkey go through a very transparent ‘Informed Consent’ process in which the latest BII-related discoveries are discussed. Our style is educating rather than scaring, so that you become the owner of the facts necessary for making a decision about your body without any inhibition. Our center in Turkey is the pioneer in providing a strict long-term follow-up program for our clinic guests from abroad to ensure the quality of care.
Breast Implants in Turkey
At Lin Health Europe Clinic, trust and clinical integrity are considered to be the main components of the highest form of aesthetic care. Our facility in Turkey embodies medical excellence in a setting where the dependability of cutting-edge surgical science is combined with individualized care of the patient at a very high level of luxury. We cooperate with state-of-the-art, JCI-accredited hospitals, which signify our position as the world leader in medical tourism and reconstructive surgery for international patients.
By making a decision to go with Lin Health Europe Clinic, you are not just making a choice to have your surgery, but also. In fact, our team of surgeons in Turkey comprises doctors who have won international recognition for the highest level of training they have had, as well as for their understanding of the physical and psychological needs of patients. You will be professionally handled throughout, from your initial choice of materials to the long-term follow-up, experience the rigor and comfort that make us the number one name in breast surgery. The most brilliant medical minds in the world will be at your disposal as you turn into a more assured individual.
Frequently Asked Questions About Breast Implants
The symptoms that have been reported are a constant feeling of tiredness, dizziness, and difficulty in concentrating, pain in the joints and muscles, hair falling out, and some unusual skin rash that cannot be explained.
The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) does not currently list BII as a formal medical condition. However, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other similar bodies recognize it as a real phenomenon that some patients experience.
Usually, patients say that their symptoms have abated a lot or even disappeared altogether after they had their implants taken out along with the total capsulectomy. Nevertheless, since the symptoms are rather general, it is not possible, at the Lin Health Europe Clinic, that we give a clinical guarantee for a “cure” to anyone.
The dean of the medical authorities, FDA has made it compulsory that there should be a warning so that the patient is aware that breast implants, in fact, are not lifetime devices and that some people did report having systemic symptoms of which some are similar to the symptoms recognized in BII.
Scientists have carried out extensive medical research and have not come up with an absolute conclusion proving that silicone implants are the cause of systemic autoimmune diseases such as lupus or arthritis. At the Lin Health Europe Clinic, we give you a risk assessment that is based on the latest scientific evidence.
FDA. (2021). Medical Device Reports of Systemic Symptoms in Women with Breast Implants.
Magnusson, M. R., et al. (2019). Breast Implant Illness: A Way Forward. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Collett, D. J., et al. (2022). Systemic Symptoms and Breast Implants: A Review of the Evidence. Aesthetic Surgery Journal.
Shoenfeld, Y., & Agmon-Levin, N. (2011). ‘ASIA’ – autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants. Journal of Autoimmunity.
