Beyond Saline vs. Silicon Implants

Breast augmentation is a cosmetic procedure to increase the size, or shape of a woman’s breast by surgically implanting implants into the breast tissue. Implants are made up of a silicone shell and are either filled with saline or silicone gel. The implants themselves can either be round or tear drop shaped and they can be smooth or roughly textured.

The pros and cons of saline and silicone filled implants is a debated topic and which type you select will ultimately depend on your own personal needs. The shape and texture of your implant selection can also have a part in how your breast looks after your augmentation surgery, so you should consider the benefits of each.

Saline implants, while not as popular as the once FDA banned silicone implants do offer several advantages over silicone. For one thing if saline implants rupture the rupture is very obvious because the breast will look deflated back to its former size. Silicone ruptures are not as easy to detect because the silicone gel is so thick, the leak can continue silently undetected for a long time. Saline also offers the advantage of being easily absorbed into the body and poising no health risk to the woman, while silicone gel will not be absorbed into the body.

Other than the saline vs. silicone debate, in which there is plenty of material written about to research, you also need to decide between shapes and textures on your implants. The shape of implant you select will have an effect on the shape of your breast. Which shape you select will depend on how much breast tissue you have your body type and where you intend to have the implant placed- sub muscular or sub glandular.

Round implants are the most common and less expensive than tear drop implants and they can help create a full look to the breast. Tear drop implants, on the other hand, while more expensive can give breast a gently sloping contour. If you decide on tear drop shaped implants however you will be limited to a rough textured implant. The textured implants will adhere better and won’t rotate and move around like smooth implants tend to do. Round implants on the other hand come in both smooth and rough textures to choose from.

The texture of implant will also affect how the implant behaves. Smooth implants can move more while rough textured implants tend to cling better and have fewer problems shifting locations. At some point if your implant ruptures your breast augmentation surgeon can easily remove a smooth textured implant and replace it, while a rough texture implant is not as easy to simply slide out because it can cling to scar tissue and adhere more deeply.

Be sure to talk to your breast augmentation surgeon about all of your choices so you can select the best shape, style and type of implant that will meet your post-surgical goals.