Breast Impants- Saline or Silicone?
Making the decision to have any type of plastic surgery, such as breast augmentation, starts with becoming educated on the benefits of surgery and the choices available. When it comes to breast implants, patients have several decisions to make including choosing between silicone and saline implants.
When deciding between saline and silicone implants, there is no right or
wrong choice. It often comes down to a woman’s preference. Understanding
the difference between both
breast implants can help a patient make an informed decision.
Whether a woman chooses silicone or saline, both types of implants have a shell, which is made of silicone. Saline implants are filled with a sterile water solution. This type of implant is inserted empty and then filled with saline once it is in the correct position in the chest. Women over the age of 18 can select saline implants.
Since saline implants can be filled once they are placed, the incision needed to do the surgery may be slightly smaller than it is with silicone implants. Another benefit of saline breast implants is if the implant ruptures, it deflates, which alerts the woman to the rupture. If a silicone implant ruptures, a woman may not know at first. This is because the silicone can become trapped around the scar tissue, which forms around the implant.
Silicone implants use a cohesive silicone gel material, which has a consistency similar to human fat. The implants come pre-filled. Women must be 21 years old or older or have written consent understanding the risks to be eligible for silicone implants.
The main advantage of silicone implants is many women think they feel and look more like a natural breast. Silicone implants also tend to wrinkle less than saline implants. In addition, silicone implants are lighter than saline, which decreases the likelihood of downward displacement.
Advances in silicone implants are also one reason some women select this type of implant. For example, at Smith Plastic Surgery, they offer Mentor Memory Shape Implants. Mentor Memory Implants allow for a more natural tear dropped shaped appearance. This differs from a round implant. Mentor Memory Shape implants may be an especially good option for women who do not have a lot of breast tissue.
Choosing which type of breast implants takes careful consideration. Learning as much as possible about the pros and cons of each type of implant is also important. Lastly, finding a qualified, board-certified plastic surgeon who has the training, expertise, education and experience to meet a patients anesthetic goals is an important part of the research process. Dr. Lane Smith has over 15 years experience and has performed over 4,000 breast augmentations. See his before and after photo gallery for examples of his work.
