The news that silicone implants had received general approval by Health Canada was covered en masse by the Toronto media. After years of being restricted to official approval on a case-by-case basis, the latest generation of implants for breast augmentation would appear to be prompting a comeback. Of course, not everyone is happy. A lot of people feel quite passionately about this topic, opposed or not.

What Happened

It was only about fourteen years ago that Health Canada had practically banned the use of silicone gel implants for breast augmentation in Toronto and across Canada, citing health concerns. A great deal of this appeared to have been the result of problems with the implants of that time. Consequently, public opinion in Toronto was swayed. It was swayed in the belief that there was a strong likelihood of a direct causal relationship between the breast implants and the various illnesses reported by women who had or had had them. Regardless, to date, the reported scientific research done would seem to disprove such a relationship. This isn't to say that there were no issues whatsoever with the safety of the breast implants at that time. However, it's also the reason that research and development has continued to improve their safety.

It's been reported that, there were few difficulties under the prior system of case-by-case approval to get the okay for breast augmentation with silicone gel implants. However, the fact remains that such a process existed in order to screen all applicants.

Understanding the Process

As with any invasive cosmetic surgery procedure, the individual should be able to assess the potential risks, as well as the benefits of the procedure. This usually occurs during the consultation stage: attaining familiarity with the procedure and the recovery process is quite valuable. This is when the knowledge and experience of the cosmetic surgeon themselves comes to light.

This is one of the reasons why many reputable cosmetic surgery clinics in Toronto, make it a point to inform their patients of the benefits and the risks of breast augmentation. All in the effort to ensure that an informed choice is being made.

It's also the reason why one shouldn't take a consultation for granted. It gives one the opportunity to assess the cosmetic surgeon and also, one's own comfort level with them.

The Research So Far

Both the FDA and Health Canada have approved silicone gel implants on the basis of existing and future research, and as the result, Toronto cosmetic surgery clinics have been permitted to use them for all women seeking breast augmentation. Again, it's been noted that no direct causal relationship has been properly determined based on existing data.

Naturally, more research needs to be done. However, at the same time, improvements have been made in successive generations of silicone gel implants.