Silicone vs. Saline Breast Implants

    NEWPORT BEACH, CA, April 12, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- If you are considering breast augmentation, choosing between saline and silicone breast implants will be one of the more important decisions you make regarding your procedure. Both options have their benefits and drawbacks. At your initial consultation, your plastic surgeon will review these options with you in great detail so that you can make a fully informed decision about which one will best achieve your aesthetic goals.

Saline Breast Implants

Saline breast implants consist of a silicone shell filled with a sterile saline solution. They are FDA approved for use with women over the age of 18. Saline breast implants are a popular option due to their ability to provide your plastic surgeon with greater control over the size of your implants. Since the implants are filled after being placed into your breast, saline implants are very effective at addressing issues associated with breast asymmetry. They also require a smaller incision and offer greater flexibility over your choice of breast augmentation incision location.

Since saline is a naturally occurring substance in your body, it will be safely absorbed in the event of a rupture.

However, there are also several drawbacks to saline implants. The main disadvantage is that they look and feel less natural than silicone breast implants. This is particularly true with women who are very petite and do not have very much natural breast tissue.

Other drawbacks of saline implants include:

- Implants will immediately deflate in the event of a rupture, requiring a revision procedure to correct
- More prone to rippling, especially in thin women with minimal breast tissue

Silicone Breast Implants

Since being reapproved by the FDA in 2006, silicone breast implants have grown tremendously in popularity. They consist of a silicone shell filled with a cohesive silicone gel material, and they are approved for use with women over the age of 22. Today's silicone breast implants are substantially better than the ones used prior to their removal from the market in the early 1990s, and they provide safe, effective results.

Silicone implants are preferred by many plastic surgeons and patients because they look and feel much more natural than their saline counterparts. They are also much less prone to rippling than saline implants and in the event of a rupture, the cohesive silicone gel will retain its form and stay contained within the implant. For this reason, it is a good idea to go for an MRI every few years to make sure your implants have not ruptured.

Since silicone implants must come prefilled by the manufacturer, there is less control over the size of the implants, and they require a larger incision than what is necessary for a saline implant. Other drawbacks of silicone implants include:

- Difficulty in detecting an implant rupture
- The need for a periodic MRIs to check for a rupture

Ultimately, you will need to discuss the pros and cons of each option with your plastic surgeon and work together to arrive at the best option to meet your needs.

For more information on types of breast implants, please visit the website of Dr. Eugene Kim, serving patients in Newport Beach, Glendale, Los Angeles, and Beverly Hills, California at www.ekimplasticsurgery.com.

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