Posted: July 19, 2012
Part of your breast augmentation is deciding whether silicone or saline breast implants are right for your desired outcome and breast goals. Both have been safely used to increase breast size for decades, and ultimately the right breast implant depends on your preferences. One is not always better than the other.
Some of the main differences between silicone and saline breast implants include:
- Cost: Silicone breast implants come at a greater expense than saline.
- Rupture visibility: All breast implants are susceptible to breakage and rupture. A saline rupture is obvious because the saltwater solution leaks out and the breast will look deflated. Silicone gel holds its shape, so even if there is breakage, you are unlikely to detect any changes to your breast.
- Surgical customization: Silicone gel breast implants are pre-filled to exact volumes during the manufacturing process, with different size implants that vary by one ounce or so, while saline breast implants are filled to more flexible volumes during breast augmentation surgery. An advantage of saline breast implants is that they can be filled to very exact, customized volumes during your surgery.
Silicone breast implants tend to look more natural and are less likely to ripple, and are preferred in more slender patients, but if you already have a bit of breast tissue and supportive skin, a saline breast implant can be well concealed.
To find out more about breast implants used in breast augmentation, and if you live in Scottsdale, Arizona, or the surrounding areas, please contact John J. Corey Aesthetic Plastic Surgery to schedule a consultation.