Differences You Should Know Between Silicone Breast Implants and Saline Breast Implants

Breast augmentation surgery is the procedure where implants are placed beneath the tissue or the muscle of the breast in order to increase the size of the breast. These implants will either be made of saline or of silicone and there are several differences between the two. It is important to consider the differences between the two types of implants before you undergo surgery so that you know what to expect from each.

Saline implants are silicone rubber shells that are filled with saline solution. They are filled with varying amounts of the solution to create the desired size. Most of them have a valve that the surgeon seals after they are filled. There are two different types of saline implants. One already has the full amount of saline at the time of the surgery while the other can be adjusted and may be increased during future procedures. If these implants rupture, they instantly deflate so that you are almost immediately aware of the problem and the saline is absorbed by the body without causing any harm.

Silicone implants also have a silicone rubber shell but they are filled with silicone gel in a fixed amount. Most of these are not adjustable but they do have a variety of shapes, volumes, and other characteristics. When silicone implants rupture, there is normally no noticeable difference in the breast. The silicone gel leaks more slowly into surrounding areas of tissue so that it can go unnoticed.  Women with silicone implants will need to have an MRI every two years to ensure there is no leak. In the early 1990’s, silicone was reported to be responsible for diseases of the connective tissue that had occurred in some women. Although the use of silicone was banned for implants at that time, it was later determined that there was no definitive proof of the connection between the silicone and the illnesses. Therefore, several years later the FDA lifted the ban particularly for restoration after a mastectomy rather than for elective cosmetic surgery.

The greatest advantage to using silicone implants instead of saline is that many women think the silicone gel feels more like natural breast tissue. Although the safety of silicone has been questioned, it has also been used in a wide range of applications throughout the body without any conclusive evidence that it can lead to disease.     

If you are in need of a breast implants or breast augmentation specialist, contact a surgeon to specializes today.