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CALL US ON: 0121 456 0880
We would like you to know that, at The Westbourne Centre, we have never used PIP implants. We only use high quality medical grade breast implants from long established reputable manufacturers.
If you have had Breast Augmentation and you are not sure what implants you have, contact the clinic, hospital or surgeon who carried out your operation and ask about the type of implants you have. Remember, you are entitled to get the precise information on this.
If you know that your implants are of the PIP type and have symptoms such as pain, swellings, tenderness and hardening of the breast(s) or enlarged lymph nodes with hard lumps forming in your underarm(s) you need to seek early advice. Try the clinic or the hospital where you had your surgery first. If you do not feel you are getting anywhere, contact your GP to refer you to a qualified NHS plastic surgeon in your area for advice and treatment.
If you know that your implants are of the PIP type, but have no problems with them, it is advisable to seek a consultation at some stage and perhaps have a scan of your breasts to check on the integrity of the implants. If they show signs of rupture, it is advisable to have the implants removed even if you do not have symptoms at the moment.
As it has been established that PIP implants contain industrial grade silicone gel instead of a medical grade, you are entitled to ask for the implants to be removed as a precaution, even if they are not ruptured. Alternatively, you may chose to have periodic scans to check on the implants, but you need to consider the cumulative cost of this option in the long term, in addition to the anxiety that it can generate.
The non-medical grade of silicone in PIP implants can provoke inflammatory reactions in the breasts and lymph glands in the underarms that can cause pain, discomfort, swelling and anxiety, but there is no evidence that it increases the risk of developing breast cancer.
If you had your surgery under the NHS, contact your GP or your surgeon at the hospital. If you wish to have a consultation at The Westbourne Centre with one of our consultant plastic surgeons, please contact us via our website or on 0121 456 0880.