Saline Vs Silicone Implants: Pros, Cons, Risks and Side Effects
Anyone considering breast implants needs to know the pros and cons of the two major types of implants available today: silicone gel-filled implants and saline-filled implants. Both types of implant are safe, but they do vary in look, feel and requirements for long-term care. This guide will explain the differences between these two implant types and offer insight into which variety can deliver the best results, based on individual situations.
Silicone breast implants
Both saline and silicone implants are made of a silicone shell. Their major difference is in the material that fills this shell, and in silicone implants, the shell is pre-filled with a silicone gel. This gel is sticky and thick, closely resembling the fat in natural human breast tissue. Some doctors and patients feel that silicone implants look and feel very similar to natural breasts, and silicone implants are especially good for those with little breast tissue. These implants can be placed above or below the muscles in the breast area, and are excellent for those with inelastic skin.
Saline breast implants
Saline implants are filled with saline, a mixture of salt and water. These implants are filled when implanted, and can be filled to the desired fullness and size. This quality makes them great for those who have asymmetrical breasts, since the surgeon can adjust the size of the implants to create symmetry. Some doctors and patients feel that saline implants are not as natural looking or feeling as silicone implants, since the salt and water combination has a consistency that is quite different than the fat found in natural breasts. Saline implants are placed above the muscles in the breast area, and are ideal for women who have thicker breast tissue. Saline implants can also be adjusted after surgery by removing some the saline with a syringe, whereas silicone implants require additional surgery for size adjustments.
Main Breast Implants Risk: Implant Rupture
Rupture is one of the main risks associated with breast implants, and saline and silicone implants behave differently when they rupture. If a saline implant ruptures or tears, the saline solution is simply absorbed into the body. The rupture can be obvious right away, or it can be slow, deflating the implant over weeks, months, or years. When a saline implant ruptures, additional surgery is needed to remove or replace the implant’s silicone shell.
When silicone implants rupture, silicone gel leaks into the body. Whether or not this gel is dangerous has been debated within the medical community for years, but recent tests indicate that silicone gel is not a health threat. However, the gel does leak slowly, so women with silicone implants can have a rupture for years without noticing. Since the health effects of long-term expose to silicone gel still aren’t completely known, these slow, undetectable leaks are an issue. Women with silicone implants need to have an MRI every two years to make sure that the implants are not leaking, and women who think that they might not keep up with these regular MRIs shouldn’t get silicone implants. Just like with saline implants, surgery is required to remove or replace a damaged silicone implant.
Whatever type of implant a woman chooses, most implants don’t last longer than ten years. Some ruptures happen when the implant reaches the end of its life, but others can occur when the breast has any type of trauma or strong impact, or even during mammograms. Women with implants shouldn’t avoid mammograms for this reason, but they need to make sure that the person performing the mammogram is aware of the implants. Changes in breast size, shape or sensitivity can indicate a rupture, and any woman who suspects that one of her implants has ruptured needs to talk to her doctor immediately.
Conclusions: Saline Vs Silicone Breast Implants
A good cosmetic surgeon will be able to recommend the type of implant that is best for a patient’s body type and desired results. If you are considering implants or breast augmentation surgery that requires them, you should think about what you want the implants to look and feel like – plus whether you have any specific safety concerns and the ability to have regular MRIs before you visit with your doctor. Together, you and your doctor can then decide which type of implant will create the safest, most satisfactory results.
