What Type of Breast Implant is Best for You?

Breast implants are surgically implanted to increase the natural size of a woman’s breast. Implants come in two types of material types including silicone and saline, each of which carry their own benefits as well as shortcomings. If you understand the pros and cons of both types of implant, you can decide which one is going to best meet your needs.

Silicone continues to be strongly favored, despite a brief ban by the FDA because of a potential health risk that was unfounded after investigation. However the ban did bring to light a problem and that was silent leakage. Because silicone is a thick material any leak from a punctured implant could go undetected and allow silicone to escape into the body. As a result, women who opt for silicone are required to have an annual MRI to detect any silent leaks and if found, the ruptured implant would need to be surgically removed and replaced. Silicone is still favored by clients because it looks and feels more like a real breast and is not as easily detectable. Saline on the other hand is on the opposite extreme and any leakage from a punctured implant is immediately obvious. The breast will appear deflated as the saline leaks out into the body. On the good side- saline is a natural product that will absorb easily into the body and can not cause any health concerns. The biggest concern for patients would be to have the deflated implant surgically removed and replaced as soon as possible.

Another factor to consider when trying to decide between saline and silicone is the size of the incision and the potential length of a scar. Due to the nature of the implant material, silicone implants are already filled to the size that the patient wants to be and the ensuing incision needs to be large enough to insert a fully filled implant. Saline implants offer the advantage of being filled with saline once inserted as a result the incision does not need to be as great.

Saline also offers an advantage that silicone doesn't. For women who feel the results are just a little too large, or to small or uneven, your plastic surgeon can insert or withdraw saline in their office with a needle instead of a surgical procedure. This allows the patient a little bit more control over the final results which aren’t always visible imminently after surgery. Once the post surgical swelling has gone down and the implant size can be accurately assessed, being able to add or subtract a little saline can make a client more satisfied with the size of the breast.

Ultimately the best decision on what type of breast implants are best for you will be made on the facts and what your final goals are so be sure to discuss the pros and cons of each type of implant with your surgeon and make the best decision possible.