Nearly fifty thousand women in the UK have been warned that they could be in danger of their breast implants rupturing.

Anyone with silicone implants made by the French firm Poly Implant Prothese – PIP for short – are encouraged to contact their cosmetic surgeons to discuss having their implants removed or replaced. It is believed that the PIP breast implants are twice as likely to rupture as other implants.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in the UK has already told cosmetic surgeons they are not allowed to use these breast implants any more. Before the warning, PIPs were one of the most popular implants used in breast enlargement surgery.

The implant has already been banned in France after it was discovered that the silicone gel used in them is of a different composition to the gel that was approved in 2001. Testing is now taking place to determine whether the gel is safe or not.

If implants do rupture, the patient runs the risk of developing toxic shock syndrome or gangrene. It is therefore a good precaution to have the implants removed. If you have these implants or are unsure as to the implants you have it is a good idea to contact your cosmetic surgeon as soon as possible to discuss what options are open to you.

Around ninety per cent of the implants manufactured by PIP were exported, with around 66 countries receiving them.