Breast Implants And Hashimoto’s Disease - Is There A Correlation?

Hashimoto's disease (also known as Hashimoto's thyroiditis) is an autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid gland. If you have Hashimoto's, your immune system turns against itself and attacks your thyroid. As a result, the thyroid cannot produce enough hormones, leading to hypothyroidism. Anyone can develop Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, but it mainly affects middle-aged women.

What is the thyroid?

The thyroid is a small gland nestled under the Adam's apple. It produces hormones to regulate your metabolism, which affects many things, such as your heart rate, temperature, and calorie burn. With little or no thyroid hormone, your metabolism slows down, affecting virtually your entire body.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism

It’s important to speak to your doctor if you have these symptoms.  As they can be signs of other conditions, you should describe all symptoms you’re experiencing to get the correct diagnosis. Your doctor may treat you for the wrong illness before they realize it’s Hashimoto’s disease. The treatment for Hashimoto’s is thyroid hormone replacement.

• Dry hair

• Hair loss

• Increased cholesterol

• Dry skin

• Menstrual cycle changes

• Depression

• Constipation

• Chronic fatigue

• Joint swelling and pain

• Puffy face

• Memory problems

• Muscle weakness

• Swelling of thyroid gland or goiter

• Weight gain and difficulty losing it

What are breast implants?

Women get breast implants for various reasons. Breast implants can increase breast size, correct developmental defects, or reconstruct breast tissue following breast cancer surgery or trauma. A surgeon places the implants behind the chest muscles or under the original breast tissue during surgery.

The FDA has approved two implant types:

Silicone gel-filled 

More people favor silicone-gel implants as they feel more natural. Most implants use a medical-grade silicone gel, a sticky and thick fluid that looks and feels like breast fat.

Saline-filled

Saline is saltwater, which fills these firmer implants. Some saline implants come pre-filled, and others are filled by the doctor during the implant procedure. If this type of implant ruptures or bursts, your body absorbs the leaking fluid.

Risks of breast implants

Both saline and silicone implants have risks, such as:

• Breast pain

• Risk of rupture or leakage

• Infection

• Changes in breast and nipple sensation

• Scar tissue that changes the implant's shape (capsular contracture)

• Women with textured surface breast implants have a very small but increased risk of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL).

A disadvantage of silicone and saline implants is that they don’t last a lifetime, so you may need additional surgery. The risk of rupture tends to increase over time, and you may require periodic imaging to see if your implants have ruptured.

Breast implant infection may occur early after the surgery, possibly due to contamination of the implant with the patient’s bacterial flora during the procedure. In breast cancer surgery, the chance of infection appears higher when the implants are placed immediately or soon after the mastectomy when compared to delayed breast reconstruction.

Although most infections seem to occur soon after surgery, late-stage infections can also happen when bacteria from distant sites multiply, traveling to the implant via your bloodstream.

Studies link silicone implants and systemic diseases, particularly connective tissue disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and scleroderma. However, this association remains controversial. Systematic reviews from 2000, 2007, and 2016 concluded that there was little to no basis for any association between breast implants or breast implant rupture and connective tissue disease.

In one thorough review on the subject based on 86 studies, researchers noted the challenges in attempting to prove the link, admitting that much uncertainty remains. However, the researchers said they could not exclude an association between breast implants and a small increase in rheumatoid arthritis or scleroderma.

Another study from 2019 showed a higher rate of Sjögren's syndrome, scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, stillbirth, and melanoma in people with breast implants. This study had several limitations, and we still need further research to clarify any possible links.

What is breast implant illness?

Breast implant illness (BII) describes various symptoms that might appear after a breast enhancement or implant reconstruction. Doctors also refer to the condition as an autoimmune syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA).

BII can happen with all implant types: Saline and silicone-filled, textured or smooth, teardrop or round-shaped. As mentioned above, scientists are studying a possible association between breast implants and connective tissue disorders. BII symptoms may be related to the development of these autoimmune conditions.

Symptoms of BII are variable and may include:

• Headaches

• Fatigue

• Brain fog

• Sleep disturbance

• Anxiety and depression

• Chronic pain

• Hormonal imbalance

• Rash

• Chills

Currently, BII is not an official medical diagnosis as studies haven’t consistently demonstrated an association between breast implants and systemic illnesses. However, as many women claim they have BII, the FDA recommended that implant manufacturers label potential side effects from 2020.

Some studies have suggested that BII may represent an allergic reaction to breast implants, but there haven’t been confirmatory studies. In any case, ongoing studies to clarify this relationship will be very important. Some women may be predisposed to adverse immune system reactions to implant material, which could cause these systemic symptoms.

Is there an association between breast implants and Hashimoto’s disease?

Researchers¹ suspect a link between silicone breast implants and Hashimoto's disease.  As available data² suggests a possible connection between breast implants and autoimmune diseases, there may also be a link to Hashimoto’s disease. The evidence is mostly anecdotal, so it’s based on individual accounts rather than reliable research or statistics.

Due to a lack of substantial evidence, an association between breast implants and Hashimoto’s disease cannot currently be established. We still need further studies to understand the possible effects of implants on the thyroid and whether it could trigger or worsen Hashimoto’s disease.

Speak to your doctor

Before getting silicone implants, it is important to talk to your doctor to fully understand the possible health implications. They can help you make an informed decision. If you have a personal or family history of autoimmune diseases, you should carefully consider your decision to get breast implants. It’s still unknown if the implants could trigger or worsen the symptoms of these conditions. Your doctor may be able to talk you through the latest studies and explain the risks and benefits.

Depending on your circumstances, a surgeon may offer you alternatives such as autologous (or “flap”) reconstruction, which uses your body’s tissues to form the breast shape.

The lowdown

Studies cannot establish a link between breast implants and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis due to a lack of substantial evidence. Currently, breast implant illness (BII) isn’t an official medical diagnosis. However, due to the large number of women presenting with these symptoms, researchers are performing ongoing studies to increase their understanding of this condition.

Before considering implants for any reason, speak to your doctor. They will talk you through the latest studies and explain the risks and benefits of breast implants for your situation.

If you have a personal or family history of autoimmune disorders, you should carefully weigh up your decision to get breast implants. It’s still unknown whether the implant could trigger or worsen the symptoms of these conditions. As we gather more evidence, the relationship between breast implants and autoimmune disorders will become clearer in the future.