Before After Breast Augmentation - Capsular Contracture
When a foreign object inters our body, our immune system tries to either destroy it or contain it. Some immune systems interpret a breast implant as a foreign object. Since the immune system can't destroy an implant, it tries to contain it. It attempts to build a 'wall' around the intruder to keep it from spreading to the rest of the body. The wall around the implant is called a capsule.When the capsule tightens around the implant it's called capsular contracture. The squeezing can be painful and can change the shape of the breast. The changed shape can affect the appearance of the breast as well.
The severity of the capsular contracture varies between cases. With the mildest case, the breast looks normal and still feels soft. This is classified as grade 1. Grade 2 still looks normal, but the breast is a little firm. At grade 3, the breast is firm and the appearance is considered abnormal. Grade 4 is the most severe and the most painful. The breast looks abnormal and is hard.
You may have to have another operation to fix capsular contracture. The capsule has to be removed, and sometimes the implant has to be replaced. But there are cases where successful treatments have been achieved without any additional surgery.
It's not known exactly what causes the body's immune system to behave abnormally towards an implant, but capsular contracture can happen after any implant or implant repair surgery. Not just breast implants. Read more...
