Which implant is the better choice: silicone gel or saline? That argument has been debated for many, many years.
The controversy over silicone gel implants started almost as soon as they became available for breast augmentation surgery and it hasn’t ceased. The FDA even banned the implant from 1992 to 1996 while they conducted a thorough, extensive study about health and safety issues. During the silicone gel controversy, the saline breast implant gained the much deserved reputation as the safest implant available. And while the silicone gel implant was banned for those fourteen years, the saline implant manufacturer's enjoyed a monopoly within the industry, at least in the United States.
Should you be considering breast augmentation surgery, you currently have two implant choices for your procedure: saline or silicone gel. While there is a third choice – called the cohesive gel implant, it is not yet approved by the FDA for unrestricted use. This article will focus on the differences between saline breast implants and silicone gel implants.
The greatest controversy associated with breast implants is in regards to health and safety in the event an implant ruptures and leaks its filler into the human body. Silicone gel implants, while accused of every health condition that could be associated with breast augmentation, has neither been scientifically proven to be unhealthy nor have they been altogether vindicated. Saline implants, on the other hand, have earned the reputation of being the safest implant available because their filler is a saltwater mix. The saline solution is harmless to the human body and will be purged via urination within a few days of a ruptured implant.
There is another benefit that saline implants have in regards to rupture and leakage that silicone gel implants do not. When a saline implant ruptures, its saline filler will rapidly leak into the body, deflating the implant in likewise rapid fashion. Silicone gel implants leak very slowly due to the thickness of their gel filler and can go undetected for years before the implant has deflated enough to be visibly perceptible. It is so difficult to spot a leaking silicone gel implant that the FDA recommends a bi-annual MRI to help detect a rupture.
When it comes to raw cost, saline implants win again. They are generally cheaper than silicone gel implants by as much as 30%. Many people believe this is due to the fact that silicone gel implants underwent the extensive scrutiny by the FDA for those fourteen years.
While the major advantages of silicone gel implants over saline implants apply to only two areas, those two areas make the silicone gel implant the most popular implant for breast augmentation surgery. Men and women both agree that silicone gel implants feel more like real breast tissue than saline implants. It's also generally accepted that silicone gel implants move much more like real breasts than saline implants.
Would you like to learn more about currently approved breast implants? Most breast augmentation surgeons will provide you with a free consultation, should you wish to discuss the procedure and all that it entails. The reason why they offer free consultations is for two reasons: to help educate you and at the same time to win your trust (and ultimately your business). Contact a breast augmentation surgeon in your area today to find out more.
Cohesive Gel Implants Will Soon Become Available For Unrestricted Use Within The United States
The FDA is running clinical trials on the cohesive gel implant. Europe and most of the rest of the world has had access to the cohesive gel implants for the last twenty years.
Cohesive Gel Implants May Soon Become The Ideal Breast Implant For American Women
The latest implant available for breast augmentation has some very interesting and unique characteristics. Although the FDA hasn't approved the implant for unrestricted use, it still looks to have a very promising future.
Can A Woman Be Too Old For Breast Augmentation Surgery?
Regardless of how old you are, you too can have breast implants. Older women might be surprised to find out that their age has no bearing on whether or not they're an ideal candidate for surgery.
