silicone vs. saline
what is your experience?
Answer: Over the last fifteen years I have seen hundreds of women with breast implants, both saline and silicone. I have used both types in many breast augmentation surgeries. The implants are different and the decision on which type to use is an important one that must be agreed upon by both the patient and her plastic surgeon. At this point in time, over 90% of the breast augmentations I am doing are with the newer silicone gel implants.
The older style silicone liquid implants were taken off the market in 1993 due to problems with leakage of the liquid. The new silicone gel implants have no liquid in them and hence cannot have a liquid leak. These feel very soft and natural. They also are made to last much longer than the older style implants and do not form ripples like the saline implants can.
I like to use saline implants in people who are very uneven with one breast larger than another. The saline implants are adjustable at the time of surgery and allow me to obtain a much closer size and shape match. The drawbacks of saline are that they do not feel quite as soft as the gel and they can have visible ripples, especially in thin women.
This is a decision that should be made only after careful consultation with a plastic surgeon. If you have questions, please call us at (614) 326-4661.
