{"generated":"2026-10-20","source":"British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS)","sourceUrl":"https://baaps.org.uk/","about":"BAAPS patient information related to breast enlargement (breast augmentation): the Your Guide to Breast Augmentation booklet produced jointly with ABS and BAPRAS, the BAAPS breast augmentation procedure page, breast implant safety (BII, BIA-ALCL, BIA-SCC, PIP implants) and BAAPS consumer safety guidelines.","categories":[{"id":"augmentation","name":"Breast augmentation","description":"BAAPS patient information on breast enlargement itself: what the operation involves, consultation and consent, techniques, implant choices, recovery and expected outcomes."},{"id":"booklet","name":"Your Guide to Breast Augmentation (ABS, BAAPS & BAPRAS)","description":"The joint patient booklet from the Association of Breast Surgery, BAAPS and BAPRAS (Edition 2, 2021): a section-by-section guide covering decisions, surgery, implants, complications, long-term consequences, alternatives and the national implant registry."},{"id":"safety","name":"Breast implant safety","description":"BAAPS information on breast implant associated conditions — Breast Implant Illness (BII), BIA-ALCL, BIA-SCC, PIP implants — and the association's published safety statements."},{"id":"consumer-safety","name":"Consumer safety guidelines","description":"BAAPS fourteen-point consumer safety guidance for anyone considering aesthetic surgery, from making your own decision to checking credentials and taking your time."}],"documents":[{"id":"breast-augmentation","title":"Breast Augmentation","category":"augmentation","kind":"Procedure page","url":"https://baaps.org.uk/patients/procedures/1/breast_augmentation","updated":"2021","summary":"The BAAPS procedure page for breast augmentation (bilateral breast augmentation, BBA) — an operation to enlarge the breasts, usually by inserting an implant beneath the breast tissue. The page describes the procedure as potentially life-enhancing but stresses that it is a big decision, major surgery with potential risks, and that the hoped-for result cannot be guaranteed. It links to the full joint patient booklet and lists the common names patients use for the procedure.","keyPoints":["Breast augmentation (BBA) is an operation to enlarge the breasts, usually by inserting an implant beneath the breast tissue.","It can be a life-enhancing procedure, but having a breast enlargement is a big decision.","It is major surgery with potential risks, and the result you may hope for cannot be guaranteed.","The joint ABS, BAAPS and BAPRAS booklet explains the procedure and the short- and long-term risks; any further questions after consultation should be asked of your surgeon.","The procedure is also commonly known as a boob job, enlargement, implant or breast size."]},{"id":"guide-booklet","title":"Your Guide to Breast Augmentation (ABS, BAAPS & BAPRAS, Edition 2, 2021)","category":"booklet","kind":"Patient information booklet","url":"https://baaps.org.uk/_userfiles/pages/files/print_bapras_breast_aug_2021_final_revised_3.pdf","updated":"2021-04","summary":"The joint patient booklet from the Association of Breast Surgery, BAAPS and BAPRAS. It covers who the guide is for and what breast augmentation involves; how to seek a consultation, check a surgeon's qualifications, understand costs and the cooling-off period; the surgery itself including implant placement (sub-glandular, sub-muscular, dual plane), operation time and recovery; implant type, size, shape and texture; a full list of complications with typical frequencies; long-term consequences including mammography, BIA-ALCL and breast implant illness; alternatives such as lipofilling and mastopexy; and the UK Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry. Editors: Lee Martin and Emma de Sousa; reviewed by PRASEAG.","keyPoints":["Breast augmentation is usually done by inserting an implant beneath the breast to make it look larger; it can enlarge always-small breasts or fill out breasts that have emptied, for example after pregnancy.","It will reshape breasts to some extent and can also be used to correct unequal breast size.","Fat transfer (lipomodelling, lipofilling or fat grafting) is an alternative in a few people but is not suitable for all and often requires more than one episode of surgery.","Patients tend to be pleased with results, but you need realistic expectations and must understand what can and cannot be achieved, the limitations of surgery and the long-term consequences of implants.","Your initial consultation should be with the surgeon who will do the operation; your surgeon will normally seek permission to write to your GP; a consultation fee is normal.","At consultation you will be examined, measurements taken, and implant shapes, sizes and pocket positions discussed; some surgeons use implant sizers in a bra or 3D photography, which is only a guide — the same implant can look very different in different people.","You should be given a cooling-off period of at least two weeks before surgery and offered a second consultation; you should not feel rushed.","Breast augmentation is a lifetime commitment, not a one-stop permanent solution: you will need revision surgery as the years go by and must be prepared personally and financially.","Nobody needs an urgent breast augmentation — if you are not offered a cooling-off period or are put under pressure, walk away.","Surgeons should be listed on the GMC specialist register (gmc-uk.org); membership of ABS, BAAPS and/or BAPRAS indicates a standard set of recognised qualifications.","Internet search listings may be promotional; a prominent listing measures marketing ability, not service quality.","Cosmetic breast augmentation is not available on the NHS except in exceptional circumstances such as very uneven breasts, no breasts, or as part of reconstruction; after surgery abroad the NHS will only deal with emergency complications on return.","Breast enlargement involves placing an implant under the breast tissue; implants are usually inserted through an incision under the breast at the crease, but can also go in via the armpit or around the nipple.","Implants can sit behind the breast on top of the chest wall muscle (sub-glandular) or behind the breast and muscle (sub-muscular); your surgeon will advise which is appropriate.","Sub-glandular placement is considered the simplest enlargement procedure and less likely to cause significant discomfort; it is also effective with some drooping.","Sub-muscular placement provides more padding for the implant, helpful for slender patients and those with little breast tissue, reducing the chances of feeling or seeing the implant.","Dual plane augmentation combines the two routes, placing implants partly behind the breast and partly behind the muscle; implants behind the muscle may move with muscle contraction (animation), which is normal.","Breast enlargement surgery takes about one-and-a-half hours, usually under general anaesthetic; you may go home the same day but many patients spend one night in hospital.","You will be mobile from day one and should be back to full exercise within six weeks; one to two weeks off work is recommended.","At first the breasts may look high and the skin tight; this tends to settle over the first six weeks, with the long-term result emerging over 3-4 months as a more natural shape appears.","Scars tend to be red in the first six weeks, change to purple over the next three months, then fade to white; abnormal scarring can occur.","All implant shells are made of silicone; some have an additional polyurethane coating; shells are filled with silicone gel or saline, and implants have been used since the 1960s with evidence suggesting they are safe.","Most patients are offered silicone gel-filled implants — they feel most natural, have a range of shapes and are durable; saline implants tend to feel less natural, ripples may be more visible and they carry a risk of deflation; all other filler materials have been withdrawn for use in the UK.","Implants are supplied by volume and it is not possible to guarantee a cup size; the larger the implant and the slimmer the patient, the less natural the result, and an out-of-proportion implant is more likely to cause drooping, tissue stretching and palpability.","Implants are round or teardrop-shaped (anatomical); round implants give bigger volume at the top and are the same width as tall, while teardrop implants allow width and height to be chosen separately; both come in varying degrees of projection.","Texturing reduces capsular contracture (particularly with implants placed in front of the muscle) and reduces movement or rotation; anatomical implants tend to be textured because rotation would alter the shape, while rotation of a round implant is not noticeable.","Textured surfaces are related to BIA-ALCL, an uncommon condition; smooth-surface implants currently appear to have no link to BIA-ALCL; smooth implants are almost always round and can take several months to settle, and may slip sideways (lateral displacement) or drop below the crease (bottoming out).","Small quantities of silicone from implants can be taken up by the body and found in breast tissue and sometimes armpit lymph glands; silicone granuloma is inflammation and extra tissue around silicone deposits.","Over time the implant shell may fail and gel may leak; many ruptures are discovered by accident, and a ruptured implant should be removed — replacement at the same or a later operation is a choice.","There is no association between breast augmentation and breast cancer.","Serious complications are uncommon, occurring in less than 1 in 100 operations.","Bleeding (haematoma) occurs in less than 1 in 100, usually immediately but occasionally up to two weeks later; the breast becomes very swollen and tight and you return to theatre to have the blood removed — haematoma can increase the risk of later capsular contracture.","Infection occurs in less than 1 in 1000 cases, usually apparent over the first two or three weeks; most patients with an established infection around the implant need the implant removed, and a new implant cannot be inserted immediately — three to six months should wait for the infection to resolve.","Perfect symmetry is not an achievable goal; asymmetry can be of breast or nipple, size, shape and position, may appear more pronounced after surgery, and implants can settle differently in their pockets.","Some patients have a naturally wide cleavage that implants will not improve; with sub-muscular placement the cleavage can appear wider, and breasts and implants may fall to the sides when lying down, which is normal.","Stretch marks may develop, especially with larger implants, and veins may become more noticeable.","Breasts will sag with time because they are larger and heavier; the larger the implant, the more the breast will droop, and breasts may bottom out.","Implants do not interfere with the ability to breastfeed, though some evidence suggests milk production may be reduced in some women; there is no evidence of increased illness in children of women with silicone gel implants.","Every patient forms a scar capsule around the implant; capsular contracture — when this scar contracts and makes the implant feel firmer — is up to 1 in 10 of all augmentations, but most of those patients will not need revision surgery.","About 1% (1 in 100) a year need re-operation for any reason, so after 10 years about 10% will have had more surgery; capsular contracture is the most common reason and is likely to recur in 1 in 2 cases after secondary surgery.","Around 1 in 5 patients will have reduced nipple sensation; recovery can take up to 12 months, but 1 in 10 will have some permanent numbness.","It is common to be able to feel the implant, especially in slim patients or those with little breast tissue; this is an inevitable consequence of the operation and will not improve with time; lipomodelling can improve the situation in some patients.","The American Core study (FDA Update 2011) suggested 1 in 10 implants had ruptured at 10 years, and half of all implants may rupture by 15 years; many ruptures are silent, contained within the capsule, and do not appear harmful.","There is no universally agreed replacement schedule for implants and it is unusual to need exchange before ten years; if you have noticed no change you do not need regular follow-up or scans — but you should be prepared personally and financially for possible future surgery.","Other reasons for re-operation include wanting larger implants, shape change with time or after pregnancy and weight fluctuation, rotation of teardrop implants, and intermittent swelling around implants.","Long-term problems will not usually be covered by the package bought at the time of augmentation, and the NHS should not be expected to provide future private treatment.","BIA-ALCL is recognised by the WHO as a condition associated with breast implants; it is not a breast cancer but a cancer of the scar tissue capsule, occurring between 2 and 28 years after insertion (average 8 years), usually presenting as swelling around the implant (seroma), and usually treated by removing the implant and capsule.","Most BIA-ALCL cases worldwide have occurred with textured implants, with higher numbers where the texture is coarser; breast implants continue to have safety approval from the MHRA and FDA and continue to be used in reconstruction worldwide.","Breast Implant Illness (BII) is a term used by some patients for symptoms including tiredness, brain fog, joint aches, immune-related symptoms, sleep disturbance, depression, hormonal issues, headaches, hair loss, chills, rash and neurological issues; it is not a medical diagnosis and there is no proven association with implants.","Some patients report symptoms improve if implants are removed, but this is not true for all; research continues.","Implants do not make breast self-examination more difficult, but they do interfere with mammography because X-rays cannot pass through the implant; tell the mammography service you have implants — special views or a different centre may be used, and some patients opt for private MRI screening.","It is safe to sunbathe and fly with implants; implant massage is not needed and is not recommended with modern textured implants; routine implant replacement after a specified time is not recommended.","The only alternative surgical technique to enlarge the breast is lipofilling: fat removed by liposuction from hips, thighs or tummy and injected into the breast; only a relatively small amount can be injected so multiple operations are needed for a worthwhile effect, and some fat is absorbed in the initial weeks — fat that lasts brings permanent enlargement.","Your own fat is the only substance that can be safely injected into the breast; other materials have been tried and withdrawn — do not allow anyone to inject anything other than your own fat.","Breast uplift (mastopexy) is a different operation that lifts the nipple and breast tissue and tightens the skin without an implant; scarring is more obvious, and uplifted breasts tend to droop again with time and gravity.","Mild droopiness can be improved by augmentation alone, but where volume loss and droopiness both bother you, augmentation alone will not solve drooping — your surgeon should discuss augmentation with mastopexy, as one operation or in two stages.","In the UK the national Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry records all implants placed or removed, allowing patients to be traced in the event of a future recall and identification of trends; entry requires consent and is strongly recommended.","Avoid any deal with a non-refundable deposit or financial inducement to proceed — even refunding a consultation fee if you proceed with surgery is considered an inducement and against GMC guidance.","A package price covering the entire process and the cost of treating complications in the initial weeks is appropriate; the cheapest deal may not be the best.","Before your consultation it should be possible to obtain an approximate cost from your private hospital or the surgeon's secretary; after consultation(s) you should be given a written quote."]},{"id":"implant-safety","title":"Breast Implant Safety","category":"safety","kind":"Safety information page","url":"https://baaps.org.uk/patients/safety_in_surgery/breast_implant_safety.aspx","summary":"BAAPS information and guidance on breast implant associated conditions, with links to patient documents on Breast Implant Illness (BII) and BIA-ALCL, the association's updated BII statement of October 2022, joint statements on BIA-SCC and other breast implant associated lymphomas, PRASEAG guidance, the Allergan Natrelle textured implant withdrawal statement, the BAAPS/ABS/BAPRAS joint statement on breast implant safety, and BAAPS advice on PIP implants including signs and symptoms of rupture or inflammation.","keyPoints":["BAAPS publishes patient documents on Breast Implant Illness (BII) and Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), plus an updated BII statement from October 2022.","In July 2023 BAAPS issued a joint statement on Breast Implant Associated Squamous Cell Carcinoma and other breast implant associated lymphomas.","PRASEAG issued a statement on breast implants and guidance for patients following MHRA advice on BIA-ALCL, with BAAPS, BAPRAS and the Association of Breast Surgery working together.","BAAPS issued statements on the withdrawal of Allergan (Natrelle) textured implants and a joint BAAPS/ABS/BAPRAS statement on breast implant safety (27 November 2018).","On PIP implants the 2013 expert group found no evidence they were responsible for an increased rate of breast cancer; the gel was less cohesive than most contemporary implants and had a greater potential to cause local inflammation on rupture.","Signs of PIP rupture, leak or inflammation include lumpiness of the breast, lumpiness or swelling of regional lymph nodes, change in shape and size, redness, tenderness, swelling and firmness; symptoms may include pain and hypersensitivity.","Patients unsure of their implant make should contact their surgeon or provider; patients with signs or symptoms of rupture or irritation should seek advice from their surgeon.","BAAPS advised removal or replacement of PIP implants as a precaution because of the inferior quality of the gel, regardless of rupture rate.","Breast implants continue to have safety approval from government organisations such as the UK MHRA and USA FDA and continue to be used in reconstruction worldwide."]},{"id":"consumer-safety-guidelines","title":"BAAPS Consumer Safety Guidelines","category":"consumer-safety","kind":"Safety guidance","url":"https://baaps.org.uk/patients/safety_in_surgery/consumer_safety_guidelines.aspx","summary":"BAAPS fourteen-point consumer safety guidance for anyone considering aesthetic surgery: make your own decision, do your research, ask the right questions at every stage, know your surgeon and check credentials on the GMC specialist register, beware pressurising selling and non-refundable deposits, expect a two-week cooling-off period, get a second opinion if needed, time the surgery well, think about location and travel, talk to your GP, remember you can change your mind, use common sense about special offers, and take your time.","keyPoints":["Only you can decide whether to go ahead with aesthetic surgery, but you need specialist input to understand what is possible, suitable and the risks and benefits.","No procedure is 100% risk free and no surgeon can give a 100% guarantee of results; research the limitations and risks before any consultation.","Know what will happen at every stage — pre-operative assessment, the day of surgery, aftercare, recovery time, follow-up and the possibility of further procedures.","Your consultation should be with the actual surgeon who will operate; clinic managers and nurses should not be your only point of contact.","A specialist plastic surgeon should have the FCRS (Plast) qualification and be listed on the Specialist Register of Plastic Surgeons with the GMC.","Avoid any marketing or selling technique that financially or temporally traps you, including booking fees and non-refundable advances; your decision should be free of incentive.","You should expect a two-week cooling-off period following your consultation to consider your options.","Get a second opinion if necessary; a reputable surgeon will never apply a time limit, withhold key information or upsell additional surgery.","Avoid surgery around major life events such as moving house, changing job, bereavement, relationship breakdown or the arrival of children.","Give careful consideration to travelling long distances or overseas for surgery; travel insurance often will not cover treatment or extra nights for elective aesthetic procedures.","Your GP can offer unbiased advice with no vested interest and may discuss functional, psychological and social benefits.","You can cancel right up until the time you go to sleep for surgery.","Don't be tempted by special offers or rushed into a quick surgery slot; anything that seems too good to be true probably is.","Take as much time as you need after an initial consultation; a surgeon might recommend two consultations before booking a procedure."]}],"facts":[{"topic":"What breast augmentation is","statement":"Breast augmentation (bilateral breast augmentation or BBA) is an operation to enlarge the breasts, usually by inserting an implant beneath the breast tissue; it is also commonly known as a boob job, enlargement, implant or breast size.","source":"breast-augmentation"},{"topic":"Realistic expectations","statement":"It can be a life-enhancing procedure, but having a breast enlargement is a big decision: it is major surgery with potential risks, and the result you may hope for cannot be guaranteed.","source":"breast-augmentation"},{"topic":"Who the booklet is for","statement":"The joint ABS, BAAPS and BAPRAS booklet is for those looking for more information about breast augmentation, designed to be used alongside discussions with your surgeon, GP, family and friends.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Indications","statement":"Augmentation will enlarge breasts that have always been small and can fill out breasts that used to be larger, for example after pregnancy; it will reshape breasts to some extent and can correct unequal size.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Consultation","statement":"Your initial consultation should be with the surgeon who will do the operation; you will be examined and measurements taken, and implant shapes, sizes and pocket positions discussed; sizers or 3D photography are only a guide because the same implant can look very different in different people.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Cooling-off period","statement":"You should be given a cooling-off period of at least two weeks before surgery and offered a second consultation; nobody needs urgent breast augmentation, and if you are pressured to proceed you should walk away.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Lifetime commitment","statement":"Breast augmentation is a lifetime commitment and must not be considered a one-stop permanent solution; you will need revision surgery as the years go by and must be prepared personally and financially.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Checking credentials","statement":"All surgeons should be listed on the GMC specialist register with a licence to practise; surgeons may also be registered with ABS, BAAPS and/or BAPRAS, whose members hold a standard set of recognised qualifications.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Cost and inducements","statement":"You should avoid non-refundable deposits and financial inducements to proceed — even refunding a consultation fee if you book surgery is against GMC guidance; a written quote should follow consultation, and the cheapest deal may not be the best.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"NHS availability","statement":"Cosmetic breast augmentation is not available on the NHS except in exceptional circumstances such as very uneven breasts, no breasts, or as part of reconstruction; after surgery abroad the NHS will only deal with emergency complications on return.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Incisions","statement":"Implants are usually inserted through an incision under the breast at the crease, but can also be put in via an incision in the armpit or around the nipple.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Placement","statement":"Implants sit either behind the breast on top of the chest wall muscle (sub-glandular) or behind the breast and muscle (sub-muscular); dual plane combines the two; animation of sub-muscular implants with muscle contraction is normal.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Operation and recovery","statement":"Surgery takes about one-and-a-half hours under general anaesthetic; many patients spend one night in hospital, are mobile from day one, back to full exercise within six weeks, and should take one to two weeks off work.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Settling and scars","statement":"Breasts may look high and tight at first, settling over six weeks with the long-term result emerging over 3-4 months; scars are red for six weeks, purple for three months, then fade to white.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Implant materials","statement":"All implant shells are silicone, filled with silicone gel or saline; most patients are offered silicone gel implants for natural feel and durability; all other filler materials have been withdrawn for use in the UK.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Cup size","statement":"Implants are supplied by volume and it is not possible to guarantee a cup size; larger implants on a slimmer frame look less natural and are more likely to cause complications such as drooping and tissue stretching.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Shape and texture","statement":"Implants are round or teardrop-shaped with varying projection; texturing reduces capsular contracture and rotation, anatomical implants tend to be textured, and textured surfaces are related to BIA-ALCL while smooth implants currently appear not to be.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Serious complications","statement":"Serious complications are uncommon with breast augmentation, occurring in less than 1 in 100 operations.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Bleeding","statement":"Bleeding (haematoma) risk is less than 1 in 100, usually immediate but occasionally up to two weeks later; return to theatre is needed to remove the blood, and haematoma can increase the risk of later capsular contracture.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Infection","statement":"Infection occurs in less than 1 in 1000 cases; most established infections around an implant require removal, with three to six months before a new implant can be inserted.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Asymmetry","statement":"Perfect symmetry is not an achievable goal; asymmetry can involve size, shape, nipple position and implant settling, and may appear more pronounced after surgery.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Capsular contracture","statement":"Noticeable firmness or capsular contracture occurs in up to 1 in 10 of all augmentations, but most of those patients will not need revision surgery; re-operation for any reason is about 1% a year, around 10% after 10 years, with contracture the most common reason.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Nipple sensation","statement":"Around 1 in 5 patients will have reduced nipple sensation; recovery can take up to 12 months, but 1 in 10 patients will have some permanent numbness.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Palpability","statement":"It is common to be able to feel the implant, especially in slim patients or those with little breast tissue; this is an inevitable consequence of the operation and will not improve with time.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Implant rupture","statement":"The American Core study suggested 1 in 10 implants had ruptured at 10 years and half of all implants may rupture by 15 years; many ruptures are silent and contained within the capsule, but a symptomatic rupture should be investigated and the implant removed.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Replacement schedule","statement":"There is no universally agreed replacement schedule for breast implants and it is unusual to need exchange before ten years; routine replacement after a specified time is not recommended.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"BIA-ALCL","statement":"BIA-ALCL is a rare cancer of the implant capsule recognised by the WHO, occurring 2 to 28 years after insertion (average 8 years), usually presenting as swelling around the implant, most often with textured implants — especially coarser textures — and usually treated by removing the implant and capsule.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Breast Implant Illness","statement":"Breast Implant Illness is a term some patients use for symptoms including tiredness, brain fog, joint aches and others; it is not a medical diagnosis and there is no proven association with implants, though some patients report improvement after removal.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Mammography","statement":"Implants interfere with mammography because X-rays cannot pass through them; tell the screening service you have implants so special views can be taken, and the more breast volume that is implant the greater the problem; some patients choose private MRI screening.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Breastfeeding and pregnancy","statement":"Implants do not interfere with the ability to breastfeed, though some evidence suggests milk production may be reduced; pregnancy and breastfeeding may adversely affect the shape of the breast.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Myths","statement":"It is safe to sunbathe and fly with implants; implant massage is not needed and is not recommended with modern textured implants.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Fat transfer alternative","statement":"Lipofilling is the only alternative surgical technique to enlarge the breast; only a relatively small amount of fat can be injected so multiple operations are needed, some fat is absorbed early, and fat that lasts brings permanent enlargement — your own fat is the only substance that can be safely injected.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Uplift","statement":"Mastopexy lifts the nipple and breast tissue and tightens skin without an implant; where both volume loss and droopiness are concerns, augmentation with mastopexy — as one operation or two stages — should be discussed.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Implant registry","statement":"The UK Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry records all implants placed or removed so patients can be traced in a future recall; entry requires consent and is strongly recommended for anyone having implant-based surgery.","source":"guide-booklet"},{"topic":"Implant safety approval","statement":"Breast implants continue to have safety approval from government organisations such as the UK MHRA and USA FDA and continue to be used in breast reconstruction worldwide.","source":"implant-safety"},{"topic":"BIA-SCC and other lymphomas","statement":"In July 2023 BAAPS issued a joint statement on Breast Implant Associated Squamous Cell Carcinoma and other breast implant associated lymphomas.","source":"implant-safety"},{"topic":"PIP implants","statement":"The 2013 expert group found no evidence PIP implants increased breast cancer rate, but the gel was less cohesive and had greater potential to cause local inflammation; BAAPS advised removal or replacement as a precaution.","source":"implant-safety"},{"topic":"PIP warning signs","statement":"Signs of PIP rupture, leak or inflammation include breast lumpiness, lymph node swelling, change in shape or size, redness, tenderness, swelling and firmness; symptoms may include pain and hypersensitivity.","source":"implant-safety"},{"topic":"Consumer decision","statement":"Only you can decide whether to go ahead with aesthetic surgery; no procedure is 100% risk free and no surgeon can give a 100% guarantee of results.","source":"consumer-safety-guidelines"},{"topic":"Cooling-off (consumer guidance)","statement":"You should expect a two-week cooling-off period following your consultation, and should avoid booking fees, non-refundable advances and any technique that traps you into proceeding.","source":"consumer-safety-guidelines"},{"topic":"Surgeon credentials","statement":"Your consultation should be with the surgeon who will operate, and a specialist plastic surgeon should have FCRS (Plast) and be on the GMC Specialist Register of Plastic Surgeons.","source":"consumer-safety-guidelines"},{"topic":"Timing and support","statement":"Avoid surgery around major life events, consider travel and insurance implications carefully, talk to your GP, and take as much time as you need — you can cancel up until the time you go to sleep for surgery.","source":"consumer-safety-guidelines"}]}