New Study Looks at Loss of Sensitivity After Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation is one of the most common cosmetic procedures carried out in the UK. However, it does pose some potential risks and side effects. A new study has looked into one of the more concerning breast augmentation risks – a loss of sensitivity. So what did it reveal and is a loss of sensitivity something you should be concerned about?

What did the breast augmentation study reveal?

The study, published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, was carried out by Australian-based Tim Brown, a leading cosmetic surgeon. It assessed 162 patients, over a 12-week period. It discovered that:

  • 4% of patients experienced sensory loss three months after the procedure within the nipple-areolar area.
  • 16% of patients experienced sensory loss three months after the procedure in the lower quadrant of the outer breast.
  • 92.5% of women regained sensitivity within 12 weeks, apart from within the lower quadrant of the outer breast.
  • Implant size did not increase the risk of losing sensitivity.

So the risk of losing sensation within the nipple proved to be extremely low. It is slightly concerning that those who did lose sensitivity within the lower quadrant of the outer breast didn’t regain that sensation during the study. It’s thought it is caused by inframammary crease incisions.

What was interesting, was that the implant size did not affect the likelihood of sensory issues. Patients were given between 12.1% and 102.7% increase in volume, but no association between volume and sensory loss was discovered.

Other potential breast augmentation risks

Sensory loss is fairly uncommon, but there are other breast augmentation risks you should be aware of. Bleeding can occur anywhere from straight after the procedure, to two weeks after. This can cause the breast to tighten and become swollen. If this does occur, you will need to go back into the surgery to have the blood removed and also stop the bleeding.

Infections, implant failure and adverse capsular contracture are some of the other risks associated with breast augmentation. Thankfully, these risks are pretty rare. However, it’s always worth being aware of the potential side effects before choosing the have the surgery. Overall you can find out more about all of the side effects mentioned, as well as sensory loss, at your initial breast augmentation consultation with Mr Paul Tulley at one of the leading London cosmetic surgery clinics.

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