Do breast implants make it harder to detect a lump?

The answer to that question is often, no.  A woman performing regular self-breast examinations usually finds a mass before her doctor, whether they have breast implants or not.  After having breast implants, a woman needs to re-familiarize herself with her breasts.  Implants cause the breasts to have a different texture, new folds or bumps from the shell and/or valve on the implant.  But after a woman knows her new breasts, having implants does not get in the way of her noticing a change that might be cancer.  In fact, recognizing breast changes can sometimes be easier for women with implants because the implants push the breast tissue to the outside of the breast, making a lump easier to feel.  In addition, women with implants might even be more likely to notice changes to their breasts because they are often more aware of their breasts and changes to their body.