Is liquid silicone safe

Liquid silicone has found widespread use in everything from cosmetics to medical devices due to its inertness and unique properties. However, there are concerns over the safety of liquid silicone inside the human body. While liquid silicone itself exhibits good biocompatibility, factors like material grade, purity, processing method, and intended use can influence its risks and safety profile. This article explores the key safety considerations for liquid silicone in contact with human skin and for internal bodily exposure.

Is liquid silicone body safe?

For internal use in the body, liquid silicone carries uncertainties and risks. Factors affecting its safety include:

Diffusion - Liquid silicone can migrate unpredictably from injection sites.
Toxicity - Impurities may leach out and accumulate in tissues.
Immune reactions - Large silicone injections may cause inflammation and granuloma formation.
Cancer - Trace fillers theoretically could interact with cells, but no evidence exists.
Removal - Removing injected liquid silicone is extremely challenging if complications occur.

While liquid silicone itself exhibits good biocompatibility, its behavior and breakdown in the complex in vivo bodily environment is not fully predictable. Use of medical grade, extensively tested silicone and conservative injection volumes help mitigate risks. However, silicone injections for body augmentation remain highly controversial due to complications.

Is liquid silicone skin safe?

For skin contact, medical grade liquid silicone that has undergone biocompatibility testing can be safe with proper use.

Considerations for topical skin safety:

Purity - Medical grade silicones remove toxic impurities and minimize risks.
Cure state - Liquid silicone must fully crosslink so uncured oligomers don't leach out.
Sterility - Lack of microbes must be validated.
Immunology - Should not cause skin sensitization, irritation, or inflammation.
Toxicology - No evidence of acute or systemic toxicity.
Duration - Safety relates to duration of skin contact from single use to permanent implantation.

With quality materials and controlled use, medical liquid silicones designed for skin enhancement, wound healing, and dermatology may be safe options. However, risks increase with greater skin surface area contact and longer timeframes.

Is liquid silicone safe for humans?

The risks of liquid silicone for humans depend greatly on its intended use:

Topical

Medical liquid silicones purified for cosmetic and dermatological skin applications can be safe with proper precautions. Requires controlled grades and contact.

Ingestion

Unintended ingestion may cause mild gastrointestinal upset. Not designed for oral consumption.

Injection

Direct injection for body augmentation is highly controversial due to risk of disfigurement and complications. Not recommended by doctors.

Implanted devices

When fully contained inside implanted medical devices, liquid silicone exhibits good biostability. Requires extensive trialing and quality controls.

Inhalation

Vapors from industrial liquid silicone at very high temperatures can potentially irritate lungs. Requires significant heating and poor ventilation.

While liquid silicone itself has biosafety, the method of exposure dramatically affects human health risks, with injection carrying the greatest concerns.

Can silicone cause cancer?

There is no definitive evidence that silicone alone causes cancer:

Silicone does not appear carcinogenic in its inert, cured solid state.
Trace amounts of impurities could theoretically interact with cells but require very high purity grades.
Inflammation against silicone rarely may affect surrounding tissues but not cause tumors.
Breast implant ruptures releasing silicone internally have not been shown to increase cancer incidence.

However, a few specific concerns that require more research:

Reinforcing fillers like silica dust may influence tumor growth when silicone breaks down.
Anaplastic large cell lymphoma has rarely occurred associated with some breast implants.

With quality medical grades and controlled implantation, cancer risk appears low but not completely ruled out with current data.

Is silicone toxic to humans?

In its fully cured solid state, pure medical grade silicone exhibits very low toxicity to humans.

Risks mainly arise from:

Impurities in lower grade silicones leaching out over time. Require high purity.

Residual uncured oligomers diffusing out of implants. Requires complete cure.

Overheating and inhaling silicone fumes. Needs excessive temperatures above 300°C.

Silica dust filler particles causing lung problems when inhaled.

Device rupture releasing silicone internally and overloading immune system.

Silicone itself demonstrates good biosafety. However, regulation and clinical trials are still important to validate safety based on specific application method and location in the body. Quality materials and integration minimize risks.

Dangers of inhaling silicone

Inhaling liquid silicone or its fumes carries potential respiratory risks:

Acute irritation

Vapors may irritate nose, throat, and lungs. Causes coughing or shortness of breath.

Asthma

Breathing silicone dust may exacerbate asthmatic symptoms. Known respiratory sensitizer.

Pneumonitis

Inflammation of lung tissue triggered by large silicone exposure.

Silicosis

Chronic inhalation of silicone dust containing silica particles causes lung fibrosis.

Cancer

Limited evidence that silicone dust is carcinogenic with chronic high exposures.

Safety data sheets

Advise respirator use when exposed to silicone emissions and adequate ventilation.

However, these effects require significant concentrated exposure to industrial liquid silicone heated to high temperatures or sprayed. In consumer use, quality silicone products are not hazardous when used as intended.

Is silicone safe for babies?

Medical grade silicone properly processed into solid products can be safe for baby products like:

Pacifiers and teether rings - Easy to sterilize and inert for oral exposure. Avoid silicone gels/liquids.
Bottle nipples - Soft, durable silicone mimics breastfeeding. Tested for ingestion risks.
Baby bottle liners - Provides leak-proof seal. Must be high purity with no plasticizers.

Considerations for baby product safety:

Medical/food grade purity - Eliminates toxic contaminants.
Proper manufacturing - Ensures complete cure and stabilizes properties.
Sterilization - Validates lack of microbes or endotoxins.
Compliance testing - Ensures adherence to child safety standards.

When adequately purified, processed, and tested, silicone provides a safe option for flexible baby products due to its durability and inertness. Liquid silicone is not used.

Is silicone toxic when heated?

At very high temperatures above 300°C/572°F, silicone can start to decompose and release toxic fumes:

Formaldehyde - Carcinogenic and irritating
Benzene - Carcinogenic and affects nervous system
Silica dust - Causes lung disease with chronic exposure

However, risks depend on:

Temperature - Requires significant overheating above typical usage.
Filler content - Reinforcing silica boosts risks.
Exposure time - Chronic contact increases risks.
Ventilation - Enclosed spaces increase chances of inhaling fumes.

In consumer use, quality silicone is generally not heated high enough to pose major risks due to its high thermal stability. With proper handling, solid silicone maintains its inertness. Liquid silicone requires even higher temperatures above 300°C to decompose.

Conclusion

The risks and safety of liquid silicone depend greatly on the material grade, processing, purity controls, and intended use. For direct skin contact, specially purified medical liquid silicones can be safe when properly manufactured and applied under controlled conditions. However, liquid silicone injection carries uncertainties and very high risks of complications for augmentation purposes, warranting avoidance. Inside the body, liquid silicone exhibits biosafety in fully contained, high quality medical devices, though long-term clinical studies are vital. With quality materials and responsible practices, medical liquid silicones enable important applications, but require careful precautions and regulation to minimize potential risks.