Breast Implants: Saline vs. Silicone
Posted on August 17, 2020 in blog by Lewisburg Team
Enhancing the size of your breasts is a big decision, one that a woman considering the option should consider at length. Modern breast implants come in a spectrum of shapes and projections, and your plastic surgeon will guide you through the selection of implant sizes based upon your desires, body size, shape and the size of your current breasts.
Saline implants have a long history of safety, and in the unlikely event of leaking, the saline is harmlessly absorbed. A leak would be obvious to you and your Surgeon as the breast will become smaller over time. Saline implants have a valve that allows your surgeon to fill the implant during the surgery. Because the implant is inserted deflated, your incision and scar can be smaller. In general, saline implants are more palpable, and many women consider them to be less natural feeling. Saline implants are also more prone to wrinkling. I find that most women with saline implants can feel wrinkling of their breast implants.
Silicone implants are also considered to be safe. The concerns 25 years ago about the safety of silicone implants causing medical diseases have been disproved. Currently, in our practice and nationwide, silicone implants are much more popular. Silicone implants are inserted pre-filled, so the incision and the scar are larger, depending upon the size of the implant. Modern silicone implants are filled with a cohesive silicone gelatin. In the unlikely event of a “leak” or disruption of the covering, it might not be obvious to you or your surgeon, and the status of the implant might need to be assessed with an MRI. Most of my patients believe that their silicone implants are less palpable, and it is unusual for a woman with a silicone implant to feel wrinkling.
The choice between a saline or silicone gel implant is a personal preference, and your plastic surgeon will guide you through this decision. I urge you to hold and feel both types of implants so you can appreciate the how the implant might feel.