Myth: Breast implants are not safe.

Reality: Rigorous and long-term studies done all over the world from Harvard to UCLA to UT Southwestern have consistently shown and proven that both saline and silicone implants are safe and don’t cause cancer or rheumatoid diseases.

Myth: Saline implants are just as good as silicone implants.

Reality: Both types of implants are approved by the FDA, and there are benefits and drawbacks with each type.  At UT Southwestern we perform surgeries using both saline and silicone implants, following extensive consultation with our patients regarding their health, lifestyle and personal preferences, as well as the outcome of a physical examination.

Myth: The new jelly bean silicone implants last forever and are better than what’s now available.

Reality: All man-made implants – both saline and silicone – last about 10-15 years maximum.  And the new jelly bean implants haven’t been proven to be better since we have no 10-year data to evaluate.  That’s important for all implants placed into humans.

Myth: Fat taken from the buttocks is now the preferred choice for breast augmentation.

Reality: It’s still very experimental and not cost effective – taking three times longer with inconsistent results.  Furthermore, it may mask breast cancer if it develops, so this is a major drawback.  This needs to be further investigated before we can reach a conclusion.

Myth: Fat injections to the breast will replace breast implants.

Reality: Fat injections are truly experimental and aren’t going to replace conventional saline or silicone implants any time soon.  With current technology, only 50 percent of transplanted fat successfully grafts to a new location (the rest scars or is absorbed by the body).  However, fat injections may be useful in making small modifications to breast size, such as correcting breast asymmetry.