Traveling with Implants: From the TSA to Cabin Pressure

Many women traveling with breast implants wonder how their new implants will fare on the trip.  In fact, because it is not uncommon to travel for breast augmentation surgery, many women travel within a few weeks of the surgery.  Women often choose breast augmentation or breast reconstruction in an effort to enhance their quality of life or to enter more fully into life, and you may be trying to anticipate just how much your new implants will influence the details of everyday living.  You may be wondering, for instance, if implants are affected by cabin pressure and whether or not the TSA will be able to detect your implants during security screenings.  Is it potentially embarrassing to fly with implants?  Could it be possible to conceal illegal or dangerous devices within an implant?  

Rest assured that implants are affected very little—practically imperceptibly—by the changes in pressure that you may undergo while flying in a plane and even while scuba diving. Doctors agree that there is no need to worry about your breast implants exploding mid-flight due to the slightly lower air pressure in airplane cabins.   One surgeon notes that there have even been astronauts with breast implants who traveled safely to the space station and back.  However, experts do disagree about whether or not you might feel small changes in your breasts while flying.  A small amount of air enters your body during the surgery, and although it is absorbed into your body within a few days, you may feel a bit of gurgling and popping near your breasts if you fly soon after your surgery. 

When scuba diving, your body experiences increased pressure, but not enough to affect your implants.  In fact, your biggest concerns may be that silicone implants, which are heavier than water, may slightly affect your buoyancy, and that you may need to buy a new scuba suit to accommodate your new shape.

Will the TSA scanners detect your implants?  Yes, the scanners are designed to reveal anything on the surface of the skin and just under the skin.  So, in addition to showing breast implants, the scanners also show piercings, catheters, colostomy bags, and prosthetic testicles, among other things.  You can be sure that the security officers will not be fazed by your implants.   You may choose to tell them that you have an implanted medical device, but because most breast implants do not contain metal parts, you should not experience any problems or questions related to your implants.

Going through airport security can be a bit more complicated for women who wear prostheses as the result of breast cancer.  Passengers can choose between undergoing a full body scan or a pat-down; if anything unusual shows up in the scan, security officers will need to do a pat-down.  According to the TSA’s website, if you are a breast cancer survivor, you may ask that your search be handled as discreetly as possible.  The TSA also offers medical disclosure cards that may assist you in passing through the security screenings as quietly as possible.  Although in the past, women have sometimes been asked to remove their prostheses, you should never be asked to remove your prosthesis or to remove any clothing covering the device.

Traveling with implants and prostheses should be a safe, comfortable experience, and, hopefully, even fun.  Bon voyage!