Breast Implants: Silicone vs. Saline

A recent informal user poll at www.implantinfo.com found that women interested in breast augmentation are more likely to want silicone vs. saline breast implants.

Since the FDA approved silicone gel breast implants in November 2006, implantinfo.com noticed that choosing between silicone and saline breast implants became one of the biggest topics of discussion on its website.

The poll received 481 responses from women who said they were planning to have breast augmentation surgery. The results found that 58 percent said they would choose silicone breast implants; 24 percent would choose saline breast implants; and 17 percent were undecided. Only 6 women said they did not care if they received silicone or saline breast implants.

Statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reveal a more even split. According to the most recent data, in 2009 half of the women who received breast implants in the U.S. got silicone implants and half saline. In 2008, slightly more women chose saline (53 percent) compared to silicone (47 percent).

Implant Differences

All breast implants are made out of a silicone outer shell; the difference between implants is what they are filled with.

• Saline breast implants are filled with saline, usually at the time of surgery. Saline implants have sometimes been criticized for feeling hard, but improved surgical techniques have lessened these complaints.
• Silicone breast implants are pre-filled with silicone gel—a thick, sticky fluid that mimics the feel of human fat. Some women feel that silicone breast implants look and feel more like natural breast tissue.

With saline implants the surgeon can fill the implant during surgery, which allows for a smaller incision, making it one advantage of saline implants. Additionally, the size of saline implants can be altered over time. Saline implants feature small valves in which a doctor can insert a needle and either add or subtract the liquid. On the other hand, the size of silicone implants cannot be changed without actually changing the implant with an operation.

Saline breast implants are available to women 18 and older for breast augmentation; silicone implants are available to women 22 and older (both are available to women of any age for breast reconstruction).

Your cosmetic surgeon can help you choose the implant type that is right for you. Dr. Branman offers both saline and silicone implants. To learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of each type, contact Little Rock Cosmetic Surgery to schedule a consultation.