By now everyone has heard of the Poly Implant Prosthese (PIP) breast implant recall and the mania it has caused here in the UK. Since the news broke late December 2011, the media and national health services have been moving as swiftly as possible to find resolution and respite for the reportedly 40,000 women in Britain believed to have PIP implants.

Of the women, it is believed that 95% of the implants were done for cosmetic reasons through private clinics, while the rest used as reconstruction after breast cancer surgery through NHS. It’s the large number of implants from private clinics that concern most, as many women are now faced with having to pocket the cost for removing and replacing new implants.

Obviously it has been a slow and quite painful regrouping process, one wrought with angry protests by patients and accusations that clinics care more about their bottom-line financials than their patients, but women are beginning to have their voices heard.  

Social media has played an integral part in helping women cope and get through these difficult times. Many support groups have surfaced over the last month, most notably on Facebook and Twitter, as well as websites devoted to helping women concerned about PIP.

Breast Registers from established organizations, such as the one on the Good Surgeon Guide, are helping provide peace of mind for breast surgery patients and equipping them with all the latest information regarding the ongoing PIP news.

While there is no universal and happy solution to this just yet (and perhaps we might not see one for a while), what we do know is that PIP breast implant recall has brought to light an immediate awareness to the public and to health government authorities that there needs to be standardised regulations on for cosmetic surgery of all kinds.

In the meantime, we encourage patients to join the Good Surgeon Guide community and submit your breast surgery details. All information is held in strict privacy and may only be used in research with your consent.

Here are some Facebook PIP Communities you may like:

• PIP Implants Update
• PIP Implant Forum - do you have PIP Implants?
• PIP Breast Impants Group
• PIP Implants Help