Risks and Complications of Breast Implants
The FDA's overview of the known risks of breast implants — from local complications to the systemic symptoms some people call breast implant illness. It states plainly that these systemic symptoms, and what causes them, are still poorly understood.
What this source says
The FDA lists complications associated with breast implants, including capsular contracture, rupture and deflation, additional surgeries, BIA-ALCL, squamous cell carcinoma and other cancers reported in the capsule, and “systemic symptoms” (also called breast implant illness) such as fatigue, memory loss, rash, “brain fog,” and joint pain.
Why it matters
It is the primary U.S. regulator's plain-language summary of what is and isn't established about implant risks — a credible anchor for making sense of your own symptoms without over-claiming.
Key findings
- Systemic symptoms such as fatigue, memory loss, rash, “brain fog,” and joint pain “may be associated with breast implants.”
- The FDA states these symptoms and what causes them “are poorly understood.”
- Some patients report improvement after implant removal; the FDA says this requires further study.
- The page also covers capsular contracture, rupture, BIA-ALCL, and cancers reported in the capsule.
Limitations
It is a regulator's summary page, not a study; on systemic symptoms it points to ongoing research rather than settled answers.
What this does not prove
It does not state that breast implants cause systemic symptoms, that symptoms will resolve after explant, or that any individual's symptoms are caused by their implants.
Source / citation
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) · Current as of December 15, 2023
https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/breast-implants/risks-and-complications-breast-implants
Last reviewed against the original source: 2026-09-02. Summaries are written in plain language; the original source is authoritative.
Breast Implant Illness Tracker provides education and organizational tools only and does not provide medical diagnosis or treatment.