Breast Augmentation Q&A
92%
WORTH IT RATING
"Worth It Rating" shows the % of consumer reviewers that stated the procedure was "Worth It" or not. See more RealSelf Worth It Ratings or Add Your Review
774 Reviews
Breast Augmentationbefore & after photos
View Before and Afters

Average Breast Augmentation Cost: $6,200

Learn about Breast Augmentation

3,424 people and 892 doctors are talking about Breast Augmentation

Get Free Email Updates

What's the Difference Between Saline and Silicone?

asked 6 months ago by sw florida in naples, FL
Latest answer by Jeffrey Zwiren, MD
Question viewed 382 times
Tags: saline implants, silicone implant, benefit, implant

what the difference .and does all fee including into the cost

22 answers to What's the Difference Between Saline and Silicone?

+1

Fundamental differences between gel and saline implants

The main difference between these two types of implants is the viscosity of the filling agent. A gel implant in general has more of a tissue like feel. This being said, if you have enough soft tissue coverage then both types will give a good result but if you do not have much breast tissue to cover the implant then a gel implant will usually give a better result.
Jeffrey Zwiren, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+1

Difference Between Saline & Silicone

Saline is the solution which is commonly given intravenously (it is basically salt water). Medical grade silicone is a material which is very similar in feel and density to breast tissue. Silicone implants do, therefore, usually give a more natural result than saline. Because of the lawyers, however, they do cost twice as much as saline.
John Whitt, MD

Louisville Plastic Surgeon
+1

Difference between Saline and Silicone Impants...

When a patient decides to have breast augmentation it is common to be unsure which implant would be best for you. Both saline and silicone implants have the same outershell, but one is filled with sterile saline and the other is filled with medical grade silicone. Ultimately the choice becomes a patient preference. Silicone tends to give you a more "natural" appearance, while saline implants are a bit more firm. Saline implants have a... more
Shain A. Cuber, MD

Marlboro Plastic Surgeon
+1

Saline versus Silicone Implants

Saline and Silicone implants both have the same outer shell. The filling of saline implants is saline (water) and the filling for silicone implants is medical grade silicone. In my opinion, the silicone implants feel and look much more natural. Saline implants are slightly less expensive but the cost is negligable when factored into the entire cost of the operation. So it would be a shame if you chose saline implants based on cost alone. I hope this is... more
David Shafer, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon

www.ShaferPlasticSurgery.com

+1

Saline vs Silicone Breast Implants

Saline and silicone breast implants only differ by the substance that fills them. The implants shells for both styles are made out of solid silicone material. A silicone implant is pre-filled with silicone. A saline implant is filled at the time of surgery with saline. Aesthetically speaking, I believe that silicone implants provide a more natural look and feel to them.
Antonio Gayoso, MD

Saint Petersburg Plastic Surgeon

www.gayosoplasticsurgery.com

+1

What's the Difference Between Saline and Silicone?

My outlook is very simple. First the costs is approx 50% more with silicone. Second the feel is softer with silicone or more natural. Ripples more common with saline. Need for MRI higher with silicone. So there you are over 16 expert answers.
Darryl J. Blinski, MD

Miami Plastic Surgeon
+1

Saline vs silicone breast implants

In my practice, 85-90% of patients choose silicone gel for the "feel" and 10-15% go with saline because they either feel "safer" with them or are under 22 years of age. Other differences are in the price (salines are less), the capsular contracture rate (saline is less), the lack of needing MRI's for saline integrity detection. There is no difference in the "look" as both can look great but in the thin patient, gel looks better because of less... more
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+1

Silicone vs saline breast implants

If you have zero tolerance for your breast implants being easily palpable and you are slender and/or you have A-cup or small B-cup breasts, then cohesive gel implants are ideal for you. On the other hand, if you feel strongly that you would prefer to have an implant that does not require a radiologic study like an MRI scan to detect implant rupture, then you should go with saline implants.
Michael Law, MD

Raleigh-Durham Plastic Surgeon

michaellawmd.com

+1

Silicone vs Saline Breast Implants

Most women in my practice choose silicone gel filled breast implants over saline filled implants because they feel more natural. Silicone gel breast implants tend to wrinkle and ripple less than the saline implants. The outer shell of each implant is quite similar. The material filling the implants is different. The outer shell of each is made of solid silicone. The silicone gel breast implant is filled with silicone in a gel form that is described as... more
Ralph R. Garramone, MD

Fort Myers Plastic Surgeon
+1

Difference Between Saline & Silicone Implants

Silicone gel implants feel more natural but are more expensive and it is harder to determine if they are ruptured. Saline implants are less expensive but may feel less natural in thin women. The best choice should be determined after a discussion with a Board Certified plastic surgeon.
Karol A. Gutowski, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1

Silicone implants are very different from saline ones

Silicone breast implants have a more natural feel and look compared to saline implants. The cost for each varies, but the silicone ones are almost always more expensive. The fees for a breast augmentation include the facility, anesthesia, and professional costs. Talk with your plastic surgeon in order to determine the exact costs and to determine which implant is right for you. Both kinds of implants are also FDA approved. see video
Jeffrey E. Schreiber, MD

Baltimore Plastic Surgeon
+1

Silicone implants look and feel more natural in most patients

This question is a discussion that usually involves fifteen minutes or more during my consultations. in my practice, about 90% of women having surgery go with silicone implants at this point in time. they do cost a bit more money, but most patients think they're worth it. there certainly are other pros/cons to discuss with the board certified plastic surgeon you choose to consult.
Bruce K. Barach, MD

Schenectady Plastic Surgeon

drbarach.com

+1

Silicone vs. Saline implants

Silicone and saline are simply the two filling materials for breast implants. Both materials are placed into a silicone rubber shell. There are some important differences: 1. Cost-Silicone gel implants are basically twice the cost of saline implants. 2. Feel-An adequately filled saline implant is generally firmer than a silicone gel implant 3. Incision-It takes about a 5 cm incision in order to place a silicone gel implant (they are prefilled). ... more
Michael Sundine, MD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+1

Silicone Saline Breast Implants

I use both silicone and saline implants. Silicone gel implants look more natural and feel softer with less chance of visible wrinkling. Studies show silicone implants do not increase the incidence of disease or the chances of developing breast or other cancers. The FDA recommends MRI scans to follow gel implants postop. Saline implants, on the other hand, are less expensive. I can insert a saline implant through a smaller incision and can more easily adjust for minor size discrepancies... more
Joe Gryskiewicz, MD

Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon
+1

Saline vs. Silicone

Both saline and silicone breast implants consist of a rounded silicone elastomer shell that approximates the size and shape of a female breast. Saline implants are filled with salt water. Silicone implants are filled with medical grade cross-linked silicone. Out of the body, the saline implants feel like a water balloon; they are "sloshy" and tend to wrinkle quite a bit. Silicone implants are more "pillowy" and feel more like a natural breast. They are just a... more
Karen Vaniver, MD

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+1

Saline vs. silicone breast implants

Silicone implants and saline implants more different than day and night. Attempting to describe those differences to you online is a waste of time. You need to consult with a qualified surgeon in your area face to face and have them show you the actual implants so you can feel them in your hands. Then the surgeon can go over the pros and cons of each and then you will fully understand the difference. My response to your question/post does not represent formal medical advice or... more
Aaron Stone, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

Saline and silicone implants

Both types of implants have a silicone elastomer shell. Saline implants are filled with 0.9% sterile saline and silicone implants are filled with a viscous cohesive silicone gel. Silicone implants are more expensive to manufacture than saline implants which accounts for the increased cost.
J. Jason Wendel, MD

Nashville Plastic Surgeon

www.mc.vanderbilt.edu

+1

Difference between saline and silicone breast implants

Saline implants are inserted empty, then filled with sterile water (saline) once inside the body. The chance of these implants deflating is about 10% in the first decade. It is quite easy to detect a ruptured saline breast implant. Saline implants are more prone to rippling and wrinkling around the edges. Silicone implants come already pre-filled and have a much more natural feel compared to saline. The are composed of a cohesive gel, many refer to them as "gummy bears" because of... more
William Bruno, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon
+1

Saline v. Silicone Breast Implants

The decision of whether to use saline or silicone implants should be highly individualized. Silicone implants cost about $1000.00 more than saline and they do require long term follow up with MRI exams. Silicone implants feel denser than saline implants and are less likely to showwrinkling or the edges of the implants (which can look unnatural). When women have very thin breast cover then a silicone implant is preferavble. It looks and feels... more
Mary Lee Peters, MD

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+1

Saline vs silicone implants

Saline implants are water filled and tend to be more palpable. The fill valve is also palpable under the skin. The silicone filled implants are softer and feel more natual.
Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Difference Between Saline and Silicone-filled Breast Implants

All breast implant bags / shells are made of silicone. However, they may either be filled with salt water (Saline) or come already filled with Silicone gel. The saline-filled implants have a valve in the shell which fits a fill tube which allows the implants to be filled with a variable volume of saline AFTER they were placed in the surgically created pocket under the breast. The valve is a potential site of shell weakness. Water is heavier than silicone gel, is quicker to change... more
Peter A. Aldea, MD

Memphis Plastic Surgeon
+1

Saline versus Silicone Breast Implants?

Thank you for the question. The type of implant used may determine the final outcome of breast augmentation surgery, especially if the patient does not have significant covering breast or adipose tissue. For example, some surgeons feel that silicone implants have a more natural look and feel than saline implants because silicone gel has a texture that is similar to breast tissue. Each patient differs in the amount of breast tissue that they have. If a patient has enough... more
Tom J. Pousti, MD

San Diego Plastic Surgeon

www.poustiplasticsurgery.com

Ask a question