{"id":964,"date":"2025-08-04T12:19:10","date_gmt":"2025-08-04T12:19:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.montrealexplantcenter.com\/problems-with-breast-implants\/breast-implant-disease\/"},"modified":"2025-10-15T13:59:48","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T13:59:48","slug":"breast-implant-disease","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.montrealexplantcenter.com\/en\/problems-with-breast-implants\/breast-implant-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"Breast Implant Illness"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"964\" class=\"elementor elementor-964 elementor-124\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-47d618fb e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"47d618fb\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4e91aa4c e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"4e91aa4c\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-48b3d657 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"48b3d657\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Breast implant illness or BII<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5488e576 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"5488e576\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-daf554b e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"daf554b\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1c07dfd elementor-widget elementor-widget-n-accordion\" data-id=\"1c07dfd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;default_state&quot;:&quot;all_collapsed&quot;,&quot;max_items_expended&quot;:&quot;one&quot;,&quot;n_accordion_animation_duration&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;ms&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:400,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"nested-accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-n-accordion\" aria-label=\"Accordion. Open links with Enter or Space, close with Escape, and navigate with Arrow Keys\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-2930\" class=\"e-n-accordion-item\" >\n\t\t\t\t<summary class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title\" data-accordion-index=\"1\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-2930\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-header'><h2 class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title-text\"> Incidence of Breast Implant Illness (BII) <\/h2><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-icon'>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-opened' ><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-closed'><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-2930\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6e3afa9e e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"6e3afa9e\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6310127 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6310127\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>BII has been estimated to develop in between one and 10% of implanted patients. But the truth of the matter is that no one really knows what the incidence is. Some argue that ALL patients with breast implants will develop BII given enough time.  <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-2931\" class=\"e-n-accordion-item\" >\n\t\t\t\t<summary class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title\" data-accordion-index=\"2\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-2931\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-header'><h2 class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title-text\"> Etiology of Breast Implant Illness <\/h2><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-icon'>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-opened' ><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-closed'><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-2931\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1050ea54 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"1050ea54\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3cf38d3c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3cf38d3c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Although the etiology of BII is unclear, it is felt to be the result of chronic reaction and inflammation to either silicone or other chemicals in the processing of breast implants. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-2932\" class=\"e-n-accordion-item\" >\n\t\t\t\t<summary class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title\" data-accordion-index=\"3\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-2932\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-header'><h2 class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title-text\"> Symptoms of Breast Implant Illness <\/h2><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-icon'>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-opened' ><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-closed'><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-2932\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6dec91e2 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"6dec91e2\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5df72e2d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5df72e2d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Symptoms are varied and span from head to toe: hair loss, brain fog \/ difficulty concentrating, headaches, insomnia, dry eyes and mouth, skin rashes, difficulty breathing, muscle pain and weakness, bone pain, joint pain, irritable bowel, frequent infections. Severe cases can progress to autoimmune diseases. BII sceptics will often argue that many of these symptoms are the same symptoms one might see with menopause or that the symptoms can be just about anything. Nevertheless, these symptoms are consistently inflammatory in nature. The 5 most common symptoms are fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, muscle pain and skin rashes, in that order.    <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-2932\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5888701 e-grid e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"5888701\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dfb26af elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"dfb26af\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.montrealexplantcenter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/elementor\/thumbs\/IMG_7336-4-rbiykdd7e533t4zawjw1ulsvpsla0ehpugy8yqskg8.jpeg\" title=\"IMG_7336-4\" alt=\"Severe eczema following implantation\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Severe eczema after implantation<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3c65759 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3c65759\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.montrealexplantcenter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/elementor\/thumbs\/2-days-after-explant-rbiyr5r8r2dnnr4b9hj1uw4q5z4plpfxg2khqoq7ig.jpeg\" title=\"2-days-after-explant\" alt=\"2 days post explantation\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">2 days after explantation<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-2933\" class=\"e-n-accordion-item\" >\n\t\t\t\t<summary class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title\" data-accordion-index=\"4\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-2933\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-header'><h2 class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title-text\"> Important <\/h2><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-icon'>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-opened' ><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-closed'><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-2933\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-31afa24 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"31afa24\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-099cb7f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"099cb7f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Given all the talk about BII on the internet and social media, many implant patients consult Dr. Nicolaidis, worried and sometimes even anxious about developing breast implant illness. <\/p><p>Do not forget that not all implanted patients develop BII. Breast, neck, back and shoulder pain are mechanical problems due to the additional weight over the chest, not BII.<br>Also, breast implants cannot be blamed for every problem a patient has; to that end, it is important that patients see their family doctor first in order to rule out a serious illness. The symptoms with BII are fairly consistent. Dr. Nicolaidis will assess at the time of consultation.   <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-2934\" class=\"e-n-accordion-item\" >\n\t\t\t\t<summary class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title\" data-accordion-index=\"5\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-2934\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-header'><h2 class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title-text\"> Risk factors <\/h2><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-icon'>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-opened' ><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-closed'><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-2934\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f9ba5ef e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"f9ba5ef\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6226884 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6226884\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Patients at higher risk of developing BII with breast implants are THOUGHT to be those with the following: severe allergy history; skin disorders; thyroid disease; asthma; history of autoimmune disease. But this remains speculation for now. Dr. Nicolaidis decided to stop posing breast implants after meeting numerous patients who developed BII despite having none of these supposed risk factors.  <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-2935\" class=\"e-n-accordion-item\" >\n\t\t\t\t<summary class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title\" data-accordion-index=\"6\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-2935\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-header'><h2 class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title-text\"> Proof of Breast Implant Illness <\/h2><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-icon'>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-opened' ><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-closed'><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-2935\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c95e8d0 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"c95e8d0\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-245b1ec elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"245b1ec\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4>Why Breast Implant Illness (BII) Remains Controversial<\/h4><p>So why did the FDA withdraw gel implants in 1992, only to allow their return in 2006? As mentioned earlier, there were numerous studies suggesting breast implant safety while other studies suggested the opposite. In 2020, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montrealexplantcenter.com\/en\/dr-stephen-c-nicolaidis\/\">Dr. Nicolaidis<\/a> approached the Department of Rheumatology at University of Montreal in order to consider the issue once again.<\/p><h4>A Systematic Review Conducted at the University of Montreal<\/h4><p>Under Dr. Sabrina Hoa, a systematic literature review of all published studies on the association between silicone breast implants and rheumatic disorders was performed. When we focused on just scleroderma (one of the most common rheumatic disorders) and excluded all studies with either conflict of interest, small patient numbers or poor study methods, only two good studies remained&#8230;<\/p><h4>The Most Reliable Studies on Breast Implant Illness<\/h4><p>Fryzek in 2007 looked at the Danish National Hospital Register, finding that patients with breast implants had a three times higher incidence of scleroderma. In 2018, Watad did a cross sectional analysis using the Israeli Healthcare Database, comparing 24,651 women with silicone breast implants to 98,604 matched women without implants and found that women with implants had a significantly higher incidence of autoimmune or rheumatic disorders.<\/p><h4>The Ongoing Problem of Conflicts of Interest<\/h4><p>To the disappointment of both Dr. Nicolaidis and the BII community, CONFLICT OF INTEREST continues to be a problem with respect to breast implant safety. In 2020-21, the Aesthetic Society Education and Research Foundation (ASERF) gave significant funding for a prospective study of BII and capsulectomies as treatment. Unfortunately, both lead researchers were consultants for breast implant companies. Given the obvious conflict of interest, the validity of their results were questioned even before completion of the study.<\/p><h4>Major Flaws in the ASERF Study<\/h4><p>Moreover, the study had 4 MAJOR flaws:<\/p><ol><li>The BII and non-BII patients had completely different implant types; the implants in both groups SHOULD HAVE BEEN the same in order to compare the 2 groups properly.<\/li><li>The type of capsulectomy for each patient was decided by surgeon and patient; the type of capsulectomy for each patient SHOULD HAVE BEEN assigned randomly.<\/li><li>The number of patients was small and therefore the resulting statistical significance was poor.<\/li><li>The researchers chose not to analyze silicone levels in the groups; rather, they decided to focus on heavy metals.<br \/>60 years of problems with silicone implants but they did not study silicone levels in depth.<\/li><\/ol><div>\u00a0<\/div><p><strong>For these reasons, we consider the conclusions of the ASERF study to be essentially irrelevant for the care of BII patients.<\/strong><\/p><h4>Clinical Improvements After <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montrealexplantcenter.com\/en\/capsulectomy\/\">Explantation<\/a><\/h4><p>Despite that, multiple RETROSPECTIVE studies have now shown an improvement in symptoms following explantation, such that even the Plastic Surgeon nonbelievers acknowledge this improvement. In fact, even the flawed ASERF study mentioned above confirmed symptom improvement following explantation.<\/p><h4>Evidence Beyond the Placebo Effect<\/h4><p>Nevertheless, the sceptics argue that this symptom improvement after explantation is simply placebo effect. Dr. Nicolaidis presented the first PROSPECTIVE study of 182 consecutive explant patients at both the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Meeting and the Breast Implant Health Summit in the Fall of 2020. Symptoms that improved the most following explantation were respiratory problems (89% improvement), fatigue (74%), muscle pain and weakness (70%) and brain fog (66%). For the sceptics who might argue that this is all placebo effect, Dr. Nicolaidis found that two patients stopped their bronchodilators altogether after explantation, three stopped Synthroid, two decreased their Synthroid dose, two decreased their doses of gastrointestinal medications, one stopped their blood pressure medication, 6 stopped pain medications and 12 others either reduced or stopped other medications. Dr. J. W. Cohen Tervaert, a Rheumatologist at University of Alberta, has found that patients who develop established autoimmune disease with breast implants require not only capsulectomy but additional medical treatment as well for symptom improvement (discussed later).<\/p><p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1119\" src=\"https:\/\/www.montrealexplantcenter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/7a.-Dry-eyes-with-BII-1024x397-1.jpeg\" alt=\"Dry eyes with BII\" width=\"1024\" height=\"397\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.montrealexplantcenter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/7a.-Dry-eyes-with-BII-1024x397-1.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.montrealexplantcenter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/7a.-Dry-eyes-with-BII-1024x397-1-300x116.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.montrealexplantcenter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/7a.-Dry-eyes-with-BII-1024x397-1-768x298.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1121\" src=\"https:\/\/www.montrealexplantcenter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/7b.-No-more-dry-eyes-after-explantation-1024x460-1.jpeg\" alt=\"No more dry eyes\" width=\"1024\" height=\"460\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.montrealexplantcenter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/7b.-No-more-dry-eyes-after-explantation-1024x460-1.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.montrealexplantcenter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/7b.-No-more-dry-eyes-after-explantation-1024x460-1-300x135.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.montrealexplantcenter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/7b.-No-more-dry-eyes-after-explantation-1024x460-1-768x345.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>Dry eyes resolved three weeks after explantation<br \/>*<em>Results are not guaranteed.<\/em>*<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c5963d1 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"c5963d1\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-70fbe56 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"70fbe56\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7d67159 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7d67159\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Need more information?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-41e1349 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"41e1349\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.montrealexplantcenter.com\/en\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Contact us<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1bd0dae e-grid e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"1bd0dae\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A set of systematic, non-specific symptoms&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":922,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-964","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - 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