Silicone Breast Implants vs. Saline Breast Implants

Virginia Center For Plastic Surgery in Alexandria Virginia, serving Washington DC

If you are considering breast augmentation, one of the conversations you will discuss with Alexandria breast surgeon, Dr. Desman is which type of breast implant will be used. There are two types of breast implants available: saline filled and silicone filled. Each one has benefits and drawbacks, depending on your individual body type and goals.

Saline Breast Implants

When silicone breast implants were removed from the market for a short time, saline breast implants were the only option available. They have continued to be a popular choice. This type of breast implant is filled with saline or salt water once they have been placed during your breast augmentation procedure. Because of this, saline breast implants are more flexible when it comes to the type of incision that is used. They may also be adjusted for volume to fix asymmetry and to meet your specific aesthetic goals.

Because saline occurs naturally in your body, if there is a rupture, the saline is absorbed safely. A rupture will be noticeable almost immediately as the breast size and shape changes.

Drawbacks of saline implants include:

• Rippling effect around the edges of the implant, especially on women with thin physiques
• May not look realistic with women who have thin or minimal breast tissue

Silicone Breast Implants

Silicone breast implants were reintroduced to the market by the Food and Drug Administration in 2006. Today’s silicone breast implants are vastly improved from the ones removed from the market and are extremely safe. They are approved for women who are at least 22-years-old.

Silicone breast implants are pre-filled by the manufacturer. Because of this, the incision made by Dr. Desman will be larger than that of a saline breast implant. In the event of a rupture, silicone implants will stay within the implant due to the cohesive nature of the silicone gel.

Silicone breast implants are noted for their natural appearance, which some say makes them aesthetically superior.

Drawbacks of silicone implants include:

• Difficulty in noticing a rupture since the silicone stays within the implant shell
• MRI is usually the only way to tell if there has been a rupture

Both saline and silicone breast implants are extremely safe. The likelihood of a rupture or another problem is extremely small. Every year, Dr. Desman performs breast augmentation with both saline and silicone implants, and his patients are very satisfied with the results.

If you are in the Alexandria, Virginia, or Washington, D.C. area, and are interested in breast augmentation, or would like to find out more about saline and silicone breast implants, please contact the Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery to set up a consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Desman.

Call 866-738-1206 to schedule your consultation or to set up a telephone consultation.