(Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
Singer SZA has been climbing her way to the top of the R&B charts with her honest lyrics and soulful delivery. She brought that same honesty to a recent interview where she revealed she had a breast augmentation earlier in her career but eventually decided to get those implants removed after finding out she was at a higher risk for breast cancer.
The Grammy-winning singer joined the SHE MD podcast on March 8 where she went in-depth on all things health, including her developing “painful” fibrosis after the breast surgery.
“When I got my boobs done, my doctor took out some of my fibrosis, but.. there was so much fibrosis, it was crazy,’” she explained. “And he took it out. And so, when I went back, a lot of the concerns were gone.”
According to the Fibroid Institute, while uterine fibroids and fibrocystic breasts are both impacted by estrogen, these are separate conditions, not related to each other. That means you can have fibrocystic breasts and not have fibroids, or you can have fibroids and not have fibrocystic breasts. Women like Jolynn may experience both at the same time. But again, fibrocystic breast disease and uterine fibroids are not linked.
Fibrocystic breast disease—also known as fibrocystic breast changes, are when breast tissue thickens and leads to fluid-filled cysts in one or both breasts. While fibrocystic breast changes don’t always cause symptoms, many women experience a range of painful or uncomfortable symptoms, including:
Fibrocystic breast disease is most common between the ages of 30 and 50, though it can manifest itself in post-menopausal women who continue to take hormone medicine. More than half of women experience this condition at some point in their life.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 04: SZA attends the 66th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
“I like seeing somebody spiritual about it, specifically the breast cancer situation and the marker before I had the results of the biopsy and all that, I had talked to somebody, because I was like, ‘I got to figure out what’s going on in the higher realms.’”
SZA explained that she was supposed to consult with an OB/GYN before getting the implants, but she “snuck and got it anyways.” “I have markers in my breast, like metal markers in my breast for these fibrosis, for these lumps or whatever,” she said. “I’m not supposed to be getting breast implants.”
“So basically, I put them in. They ended up hurting me. I have way too much scar tissue because my breasts are too dense, and I’m not supposed to have breast implants. And so I ended up getting extra fibrosis like with tissue, and I didn’t feel good and it was painful. So, I took them out, and now they’re just my boobs.”
In some breast augmentation patients like SZA, a “capsule” of scar tissue becomes unusually hard and starts to contract around the implant. This can lead to both aesthetic problems and, in extreme cases, pain in the breasts. Research shows that about one in six breast augmentation patients experience some degree of capsular contracture, though not all cases present with obvious symptoms. The severity of capsular contracture is rated using a grading system:
Grade 1: Grade one capsular contracture is asymptomatic (producing or showing no symptoms). The formation of scar tissue around the implant does not interfere with the size, shape or texture of the breasts. The breasts look natural and remain soft to the touch.
Grade 2: Grade two capsular contracture usually presents itself with only minor cosmetic symptoms. The breasts will usually appear normal in shape but feel somewhat firm to the touch.
Grade 3: Grade three capsular contracture presents itself with obvious cosmetic symptoms. The breasts will be firm to the touch and appear abnormal, e.g., they will be overly round, hard-looking and the nipples may be misshapen. However, this grade of capsular contraction often doesn’t cause much (if any) pain.
Grade 4: Like grade three capsular contracture, grade four capsular contracture causes the breasts to become hard and misshapen. Patients with grade four capsular contracture also experience breast soreness; their breasts will often be tender and painful to the touch.
Generally, capsular contracture occurs during the healing process. About 75% of all capsular contractures will occur within two years of the patient’s implants being placed.
Now, SZA says since her removal, “So, I took them out, and now, they’re just my boobs.”
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