Breast Implant Illness: What We Know, What We’re Learning, and Why Women’s Voices Matter

Tracy Short
1 day ago
3 min read

Breast Implant Illness (BII) is a term used by many women to describe a collection of systemic symptoms that may occur in individuals with breast implants. These symptoms can appear months or even years after implantation and often affect multiple body systems. While Breast Implant Illness is not yet a formal medical diagnosis, the growing number of women sharing similar experiences has brought long-overdue attention to the issue.

This conversation is no longer theoretical for me, it’s personal.

My Experience With Breast Implant Illness

I suffered from Breast Implant Illness for years without realizing what was happening in my body.

Like many women, I chased answers through doctors’ appointments, labs, and explanations that never quite fit. I was told my results were “normal,” even though I didn’t feel normal at all. Over time, my symptoms became impossible to ignore:

A constant, dull headache that never fully went away
Body rashes that came and went without explanation
Extreme, chronic fatigue
Hair loss
Memory loss and brain fog
Major anxiety and panic attacks
Heart Palpitations
Inflamation

These weren’t occasional issues. They were persistent, life-altering, and cumulative.

Three years ago, I made the decision to have my breast implants removed.

What happened next still feels hard to put into words.

Within hours to days after explant surgery, the symptoms I had been dealing with for years began to fade. The headache lifted. The anxiety softened. My body felt calmer, quieter, like it had finally exhaled after years of fighting something it couldn’t tolerate.

This is my experience. I share it not as medical advice, but as lived truth.

What Is Breast Implant Illness?

Breast Implant Illness refers to a wide range of systemic symptoms some individuals associate with breast implants, whether silicone or saline, for cosmetic or reconstructive purposes. Importantly, BII is not an official medical diagnosis recognized by major medical bodies, but it is widely discussed by patients and clinicians alike.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), several patients and clinicians use the term “breast implant illness” to describe various systemic symptoms following breast implant surgery, but no formal diagnostic criteria currently exist.

Commonly Reported Symptoms

Women who identify with Breast Implant Illness frequently report a wide range of symptoms, including:

Chronic fatigue
Brain fog, memory loss, difficulty concentrating
Joint and muscle pain
Hair loss or thinning
Skin rashes or unexplained itching
Anxiety, depression, panic attacks
Headaches or migraines
Digestive issues and food sensitivities
Hormonal imbalance
Sleep disturbances
Heart palpitations
Inflamation

Not every woman experiences the same symptoms, and not every woman improves after explant, but the patterns are compelling enough that they deserve serious attention.

Why Breast Implant Illness Has Been Dismissed for So Long

Breast Implant Illness sits at the uncomfortable intersection of lived experience and evolving science.

There is no single diagnostic test
Symptoms often overlap with autoimmune or inflammatory conditions
Large, long-term studies are still emerging

But the absence of definitive data does not equal the absence of truth.

For many women, the most painful part of BII is not just the physical symptoms, but being dismissed, doubted, or told it’s “just anxiety.”

Explant Surgery and Symptom Changes

Many women who believe they are experiencing Breast Implant Illness choose explant surgery, often including removal of surrounding scar tissue.

Some, like me, experience significant improvement quickly. Others see gradual changes over months. Some notice partial improvement, and some see little change at all.

This variability underscores the importance of individual choice, informed consent, and provider support, rather than blanket statements or fear-based narratives.

The Role of Community and Shared Knowledge

One of the most valuable resources I found during my journey was the Facebook group Breast Implant Illness and Healing by Nicole.

This community offers education, shared experiences, research, surgeon recommendations, and most importantly, validation. It is a supportive space for anyone who has implants, is considering explant, or simply wants to learn more.

I strongly encourage anyone navigating this topic to explore it as a resource.

Where the Medical Conversation Is Headed

The conversation around Breast Implant Illness is shifting:

More emphasis on informed consent
Increased attention to patient-reported outcomes
Greater willingness to study systemic effects
Growing acknowledgment that women’s health concerns have historically been under-researched

Medicine evolves because patients speak up. This is one of those moments.