The saline breast implant is the best breast
implant if safety is the patient's primary concern. Saline implants have
rightfully earned the world wide reputation of being the safest breast implant
device currently in production.
Breast implant devices are either filled with silicone gel
or they are filled with a saltwater-base saline solution. Both types of
implants are available for breast augmentation surgeries performed in the United States.
Each type of implant does have its own unique pros and cons. This article will
discuss the pros and cons of the saline breast implant device.
While the inside of a saline breast implant is filled with a harmless saline
solution, it's important to note that the implants outer shell is made of silicone
gel. Both silicone and saline implant devices utilize a silicone shell to contain
the filler. The surface area of the outer shell can either be smooth or it can
be textured.
When an implant device is placed into the breast pocket, it can be inserted
into three different locations: subglandular (on top of your chest muscle), partial
submuscular (when most of the implant is covered by the muscle), and complete
submuscular (the implant is inserted entirely under the muscle). Saline
implants can be placed in any of those three possible positions. Additionally,
there are three different types of incisions: around the nipple, at the breast
crease, the armpit, or at the belly button. Depending on your specific goals,
your surgeon will help you determine which incision is best for your procedure.
Saline implants can be inserted into the breast pocket using any of the three
types of incisions.
Over a long enough time line, all breast implants will inevitably rupture and
leak their interior filler. However, only saline breast implant devices leak harmless
filler that the human body will absorb and pass out of the body via urination. Silicone
gel implants - when ruptured - will leak silicone gel into the body.
Saline implants deflate quite rapidly which allows for
almost immediate visible detection. Women that experience a ruptured saline
breast implant will be able to detect the rupture within a few days whereas a
ruptured silicone gel implant could leak for years before visible detection is
possible. Because of the slow leakage associated with a ruptured silicone
implant, the FDA currently recommends that women who have silicone implant devices
have an MRI performed once every two years. The MRI will help detect whether or
not their implants have ruptured.
Do you enjoy having surgical scars? Few people do. Silicone gel implants are filled
with silicone at the factory while saline implants leave the factory still
empty. That basically means that saline implants can be placed into the breast
pocket via very tiny incisions while silicone implants require much larger surgical
incisions. If scarring is a major concern of yours, then you should select the
saline implant device for your surgery.
Saline implants were originally developed by a French physician named Arion.
His goal was to create a breast implant device that used harmless filler. The
concept was well accepted by the medical community and the public. His saline
implants have been serving the breast augmentation industry for over 50 years.
While the saline implant has undergone some design changes throughout its
history, the changes have been minor. The most significant design change was a
switch to a room temperature vulcanized exterior shell.
One potential drawback to the saline implant is its propensity to ripple. When rippling
occurs, the surface area of the implant will scrunch together. That rippled
surface on the implant will transfer to the surface skin of the breast and
create an unsightly breast appearance. One method for reducing the potential
for rippling is to over inflate the implant.
Is implant cost a concern for you? Saline implants are typically 30% less
expensive than traditional silicone implants. The price difference is most
likely attributed to the fact that they use a saltwater solution as filler
(much less expensive to produce than silicone gel) and the implant did not suffer
through a fourteen clinical trial by the FDA.
One of the well known character traits of the saline implant is its inability
to mimic real breast tissue. The saline solution creates a water balloon like
feel when the implant is squeezed in the hand while the consistency of liquid
silicone creates a more life like representation of breast tissue. The more
modern saline implant designs are better at mimicking real breast tissue. If
you are curious as to which implant feels the best in your hand, consult with a
plastic surgeon and ask him to let you squeeze both implants. That way you can
decide for yourself which implant feels more like real breast tissue.
If you're considering purchasing breast implants, you'll want to perform plenty
of research. The internet is a great starting point for gathering information.
Outside of gathering general information about breast augmentation surgery and
the different types of breast implants currently available, you can also join
user groups and user forums that discuss plastic surgery procedures. You will
find many women on these forums that have undergone breast augmentation surgery.
These forums are free to join and participate in plastic surgery discussions with
other like minded individuals. By sharing your questions and concerns on the
forums, you will acquire plenty of valuable input from women who have already
experienced the exact surgery you are considering.
While the internet is a great source of information for just about any subject,
you should not rely solely on the information you find online when it comes to
making your final decision regarding plastic surgery. You should consult face
to face with a plastic surgeon to find out if a particular procedure is right
for you. Only a licensed physician in your state should guide you with your
health-related decisions. Good luck!
