As painful as the disfigurement may be, an even more serious problem exists -- silicone breast implants cause severe and
debilitating autoimmune conditions.
In the early 1960s, medical literature reported diseases and conditions caused by liquid silicone injections. Many doctors
who have seen and attempted to treat women with these conditions believe that this atypical autoimmune presentation is the
result of a chronic immune response to the silicone that the body is exposed to when the implant bleeds or ruptures. Indeed,
from the early manufacturer studies to more recently published studies, the silicone gel and the fluid contained therein has
been proven to be a powerful booster of immune response.
While the silicone fluid and gel have been proven to have their own immune effects, even more disturbing is research
conducted by both the manufacturers and independent scientists demonstrating the breakdown of the gel in the body and
attendant formulation of even more toxic substances. Recent studies show that the gel degrades into other substances,
including silica. Numerous epidemiological studies have demonstrated that exposure to silica leads to a variety of
autoimmune conditions. Because it may take years for the body to break down silicone into its constituent silica, symptoms
in many women may not surface until six to ten years or longer after implantation. This is similar to the latency period for
asbestos-related diseases, which at times did not appear for decades.
Recent controlled epidemiology studies show that women with breast implants have elevated antibodies, which are the most
common markers (indications of) for autoimmune disease. These studies used blood samples from exposed women and
compared them to double blinded controls and have led to the conclusion that the serologic hallmarks of autoimmune
disease are found in women with implants and not in women without implants. Similarly, one researcher has recently
published DNA/genetic susceptibility.
The symptoms of this atypical disease process include: sicca symptoms (climically determined dry eyes, dry mouth, and dry
vagina); joint pains; muscle pains; and cognitive dysfunction. In its more serious presentation, the disease includes central
nervous system impairment (often as a result of an immunological response), kidney failure, and even death. The unique
group of symptoms seen in women with breast implants is not seen in the general population.
From animal studies, which demonstrate convincingly and unassailably that silicone produces chronic immune response, to
well-conducted clinical studies, which report on the results of examinations and evaluations of thousands of women with
breast implants, to controlled epidemiology studies proving elevated antibodies in implanted women, the scientific evidence
overwhelmingly shows that silicone breast implants cause systemic disease. Moreover, the data submitted to the Claims
Office in Houston showing that one in ten women with breast implants suffers from an atypical disease further bolsters this
conclusion.
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