Are 500cc saline implants vs 500cc gel implants under the muscle going to look identical or different size wise?

Hello and thank you for your question. In terms of the size, there is no significant difference between the two. The main difference between saline and gel implants is how they feel, with the gel implants feel softer and more natural. And in a thin individual, saline implants tend to show more rippling. Best,

Pejman Aflaki, M.D.

Johns Hopkins-trained double board-certified plastic surgeon

 

You would think cc for cc that 500 saline should be the same as 500 gel, however, in my experience, the same cc size saline tends to look bigger and rounder/extra full on top.Even under the muscle, the gel looks more natural- the saline can have that celebrity look (which some patients desire).An exam and consultation with a plastic surgeon is recommended to discuss this future as well as your options and expectations.

Hello, whether you have a 500cc saline or silicone implant inserted under the muscle (subpectoral pocket), their volume will stay the same. However, there could be subtle changes in the final appearance, depending on the specific type of silicone gel implants you are comparing. The firmness/shape of a saline implant will vary depending on the volume of saline inside, and the shape retention of a silicone implant varies depending on the gel thickness. These are subtle issues but they could affect the shape of the final result, even if the actual volume is the same.

Breast implants of the same cc size and profile placed under the muscle should look the same.  Where you will notice the differences is in the feel.  Ask to hold each implant in your hands the next time you visit you PS's office.  The silicone one feels more like natural breast tissue; the saline, much firmer.  
Silicone implants are suggested for thinner women since there is less of a possibility for the breast to wrinkle due to the fact that they have less tissue to cover the implant. Saline implants, on the other hand are more suited for women with more breast tissue because it is less noticeable on them.

Without examining you or seeing photos its difficult to give specific advice but if you have enough breast tissue to cover the implants then you aren’t likely to see or feel much of a difference between saline and silicone implants. The best way to decide is to book a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon near you to see what your options are. Hope that helps!

Thankyou for your question. The most significant difference between saline and silicone implants is the feel. The look of implants of equal size and profile are similar irrespective of the filling. The feel of silicone filled implants is generally better.Please find an experienced Board Certified Plastic surgeon who can examine you and help you with all your concerns. All the best!

Saline vs Silicone Breast Implants
There’s an opinion asserted by breast implant manufacturers and by many plastic surgeons that silicone gel breast implants are better than saline breast implants.
In my opinion, “It ain’t necessarily so.”
I’ve performed more than 6,600 breast augmentation surgeries, many of them with saline implants. My patients who chose saline have reported a high degree of satisfaction; it’s been rare for a woman to request that I change her saline implants to silicone.

Silicone gel implants may be stealing the spotlight, but saline breast implants still have much to offer. Here are seven reasons why:
A Natural Feel and Appearance

When you hold a saline implant in one hand and a silicone gel implant in the other, the silicone gel implant feels softer, but that’s not where breast implants will be! When I place breast implants behind the muscle, saline and silicone implants feel similar in most women. The exception is in very slender women who have very thin skin, less breast tissue, and little or no muscle coverage around the side and underneath their breasts – the areas where the implant could most likely be felt.
Availability

Silicone gel implants are recommended by the FDA and the manufacturers for women 22 and older. Saline implants are available to women ages 18 and up. Although the majority of my patients fall in the latter range, young women who have not developed often tell me that they feel self-conscious when they are on the beach and that they can’t find clothing or swimsuits that fit. They don’t want to wait several years for surgery.Incision SizeA saline implant, which comes empty, can be folded and placed through a smaller incision. It’s filled after placement. A silicone gel implant comes prefilled and therefore requires a larger incision.
Implant Size

There is a limit to how large an implant can fit behind the chest muscle, and it’s dependent on the width of each breast. A saline implant acts as a tissue expander, which means a woman can sometimes get a slightly larger size than she could with a silicone gel implant. 
Correction of Tuberous Breast Deformity

Saline implants, which are inserted empty and then filled, can expand and correct a constricted breast in a one-stage procedure. Silicone implants, which are prefilled, cannot. My surgical approach to correcting TBD has recently been published online in the American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery.
Implant Rupture

When a saline implant shell breaks, the body safely absorbs the saline (salt water) and it is urinated out. The breast returns to its original size. When a silicone gel implant ruptures, the cohesive gel inside sticks together. Women might not notice a change in breast size. To check silicone gel implants for rupture, the FDA and manufacturers currently recommend an MRI three years after surgery and every 2 years thereafter. This might not be covered by health insurance.
Cost

Silicone gel implants cost about $1000 more per pair than saline implants.
When you are choosing your breasts implants, consider all the facts. Although silicone implants get most of the attention, saline implants produce an equally aesthetic result.Dr. Ted Eisenberg, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and AuthorRealSelf Distinguished Hall of Fame Inductee

If you took a saline implant of a certain style/ profile/ size and placed it on one side, and the identical silicone implant style/ profile/ dimension and put it in the other side, you would not see any difference.  They should be identical except for how they feel - the silicone gel implants feel more natural on average.  The best thing to do is to have a few consultations with board certified plastic surgeons and see/ feel the differences in person.  Please see the below link for patient results.  I hope this helps.

there is no real difference between the two in terms of size.   There is no real difference in the appearance.   the difference is in he feel with silicone feeling a little softer.   however once inside your body, covered by your own breast, fat, and muscle, it’s very difficult to impossible to differentiate between the two.

Hello and thank you for your question.  The best advice you can receive is from an in-person consultation.  Generally speaking silicone implants have a much more natural look and feel than saline with less risk of rippling.  Saline implants are usually overfilled in order to try to lessen rippling but this tends to make them harder.  The size, profile, and shape of the implant is based on your desired breast size/shape, your chest wall measurements, and soft tissue quality.  This decision should be based on a detailed discussion with equal input from both you and your surgeon.   Make sure you specifically look at before and after pictures of real patients who have had this surgery performed by your surgeon and evaluate their results.  

Best wishes and good luck.


Richard G. Reish, M.D.  FACS

Harvard-trained plastic surgeon