Can You SCUBA Dive With Breast Implants?

If you've undergone breast implant surgery, studies show you can still safely take part in scuba diving.

  1. Scientific Study

    • Divers Alert Network (DAN), an organization that provides insurance for dive-related injuries, tested different types of breast implants in a hyperbaric chamber. The purpose was to study the effect of atmospheric pressure changes on the implants.

    Conclusion

    • The study found breast implants do not significantly increase the risk of decompression sickness because the small increase in nitrogen bubbles doesn't damage the surrounding tissue, and the bubbles resolve over time.

    Surgery

    • While the presence of implants doesn't prohibit diving, care should be taken after implant surgery. Divers should wait until they've been cleared by their doctor to return to physical activity and until incisions have healed before diving again. This reduces the risk of rupture or infection.

    Risk of Rupture

    • Divers with breast implants should choose buoyancy compensators without tight chest straps, which could put pressure on seams, increasing the likelihood of rupture.

    Buoyancy Issues

    • Consider your breast implants when choosing appropriate weighting for your dive. Buoyancy can be affected with silicone implants.