Benefits of Silicone over Saline Breast Implants?

asked 3 years ago by vivid
Latest answer by John P. Di Saia, MD
Question viewed 760 times
Tags: breasts, bigger

I went for a consultation with a surgeon for a breast augmentation and he recommended silicone implants over saline. When I asked him why, he said that silicone would feel more natural.

He also mentioned that I would need to get a mammogram every 2 years to check for leaks. To me this seems very inconvenient, not to mention the expense to have to do this every 2 years. Is there another reason a surgeon would prefer silicone that he didn’t mention to me? And what are some pro's and con's of having silicone versus saline?

5 answers to Benefits of Silicone over Saline Breast Implants?

Silicone vs Saline Breast implants is debatable

Silicone Gel Implants Pros Feels more natural at first Don't tend to leak and deflate Cons Gel leaks into breast requiring MRIs every 3 years Gel can encourage breast hardening more than saline Saline Implants Pros Don't require MRIs every 3 years Stay softer over the long term - less hardening Cons Need to put them under the muscle to decrease rippling Easier to feel than silicone implants When they leak, they deflate requiring surgery to replace them.

John P. Di Saia, MD
Orange Plastic Surgeon

A Question of Degrees

Hi there- I think that to some extent the results of breast augmentation will depend on the breasts you are starting with-- in other words, if you have a fair amount of breast tissue already, the chances of being just as happy with saline as you might have been with silicone are pretty high. If, on the other hand, you do not have very much of your own tissue to camouflage the implant, then the chances of ending up unhappy with saline, either because you can see that it's an implant, or... more

Armando Soto, MD
Orlando Plastic Surgeon

www.DrArmandoSoto.com

Saline vs Silicone Gel Breast Impants

When I decide which type of implant to recommend for my patients, I always take multiple factors into account. First of all, the patient's figure is very important. For a woman who is very thin with very little breast or fatty tissue to help cushion the appearance of the implant, I tend to like the new cohesive silicone gels. Saline implants can develop rippling, which are more likely to be felt and possibly seen in a very slim woman. In order to minimize the ripple effect it is important... more

Pamela B. Rosen, MD
Coral Springs Plastic Surgeon

Saline or silicone is an important decision

This question comes up very frequently and can be a difficult decision for both surgeons and for patients. Some surgeons are very flexible in the implant offering and some strongly believe in one implant over another. Whenever this question comes up the opinions will diverge as there is no consensus. The saline breast implant is made of a silicone rubber elastomer which makes up the shell or outer covering. The implant is placed empty and then filled therefore they can be placed through a... more

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

www.peterejohnsonmd.com

Excellent question

Each type of implant has advantages and disadvantages, just like a car or cell phone. You have to decide what is important for your to have (i.e. naturalness) and what you can't tolerate (i.e. rippling) and what you might be able to tolerate (i.e. firmness). The advantage of silicone is mainly that is feels softer and more natural if it is working the way it is intended. That is the only real reason it is one the market. If sailne felt natural, silicone would probably go by the way of... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

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