Michelle Visage Says ‘Breast Implant Illness’ Has Taken The Last 20 Years From Her – But What Is It?

If you’re a fan of Michelle Visage in any capacity, you’ll know that lots of cleavage is kind of her signature look.

The Ireland’s Got Talent and RuPaul’s Drag Race judge got breast implants 20 years ago – but earlier this week, she revealed that she is having them removed.

“This is the last time you’re gonna see me with these,” she told her 1m Instagram followers. “I know, they’re a national treasure. But I believe that for the past 20 years, these breast implants have been making me sick.

“Breast implant illness has taken the last 20 years from me, but I’m taking my life back.”

https://twitter.com/michellevisage/status/1092288790230487040

But what is breast implant illness? Well, in recent years, breast implants have been linked to a variety of illnesses, including autoimmune disorders and a rare form of cancer.

While companies who manufacture breast implants were required to complete safety studies before they could be sold, they did not examine how they might increase the long-term risks of getting these diseases.

In some cases, the immune cells could see silicone as a foreign substance, leading them to start attacking the body – symptoms of this include joint pain, fatigue, mental confusion, and hair loss.

‘Breast implant illness’ is not officially recognised by those in the medical field, and there is no research as of yet that definitively links silicone implants to these conditions. However, US doctors have been warned not to dismiss concerns until better studies are done on the subject.

Last year, YouTuber Karissa Pukas revealed that she was having her implants removed after finding herself constantly fatigued, losing her hair and struggling with ‘brain fog’ following her augmentation.

She says she’s “got her life back” since having them removed, but described how hard it was to get people to believe that she was sick:

Influencer Sia Cooper (who you may know from Instagram as @diaryofafitmommyofficial) had her implants taken out last year after suffering similar symptoms a year after her initial surgery – brain fog, facial rashes, hair loss and fatigue.

She told the Daily Mail that she first chalked it up to aging, but at “29, I shouldn’t be having this problem”. After having the implants removed, she says her rashes have cleared up, and she’s got more energy.

Michelle Visage will go in for her surgery today, and plans to document her recovery on Instagram – let’s hope she feels better soon.

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• breast implants