Which implant do you prefer to use? Silicone or Ideal Implants?

During a consultation I try to have an unbiased discussion regarding the risks and benefits of each type of implant , My goal is to allow every patient to make an educated choice between them. At this time, the vast majority are choosing silicone gel implants

I prefer to use cohesive silicone implants because they give a more natural appearance and feel. They also tend to ripple less. However, if a patient would prefer saline, our practice does accommodate that.

The type of implant varies drastically with options to use saline vs. silicone, various brand manufacturers, and texture. I suggest trying on different sizes in a surgical bra. It ultimately depends on what you're looking to achieve.

Hello, thank you for your question. For this in general we really leave up to the patient to decide. We commonly use either saline or silicone in our practice but have worked with patients requesting ideals. for more information about the different types of implants please refer to our website and youtube page.

Dear lam51,
breast implant type and sizing selection is a complicated process and requires a detailed consultation that includes a discussion of your goals, a detailed examination, and a lengthy discussion. But the decision will always start and end with the patient. When it comes to sizing, we have all of our patients find 3 photos of their desired breast size. We ask for naked breast photos because clothing can obscure the true size (push up bras). Next, we consult with patients and go over the photos and take detailed breast measurements during a physical exam. Next, we using a sizing algorithm to determine a range of implants that will work based on the exam and the measurements.Lastly, during the operation, we use silicone sizers in the operating room to see how the size actually looks in the breast. We sit the patient up in the operating room, while asleep of course, and compare the sizer result with their desired look photos. If it is too small, we start the process over with a slightly larger implant. We don't stop until we get the perfect match.Of all of my breast augmentation patients, every one of them has been happy with their size due to this detailed and meticulous process. You don't want to invest time and money into a result that is either too big or too small.You should discuss your concerns with a board-certified plastic surgeon and make sure that your surgeon understands your goals.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Good to hear from you With newer technologies, silicone implants are considered to be the choice for breast augmentation worldwide. There are different kinds of silicone implants too.

Dear lam51,
Thank you for your question. I use both in my practice. It is driven by my patients desires and preferences. Some patients want to know right away when their implant is damaged. The structured saline implant, i.e. Ideal implant, will let you know right away as your body absorbs the leaking saline from the damage implant and you see the affected breast get smaller. Because silicone is not absorbed by the body like saline, if it leaks out, it is not absorbed, so the breast volume stays the same, thus this is sometimes referred to as a "silent rupture" as there will be no size change associated with this leak. The only way the implant damage will be detected without surgery is imaging either with high-definition ultrasound or MRI of the breast.
If you are prioritizing feel, silicone feels more "natural" compared to Ideal, but Ideal feels more like silicone than a non-structured single shell saline implant.
If you are concerned about scar length, the scar length is slightly longer with a silicone implant than with Ideal, assuming the same volume. Silicone implants go in prefilled while the saline implant is empty and filled with saline through fill valves.
I recommend you visit with your local board certified plastic surgeon for consultation and a more detailed discussion of this topic.
Wishing you well as you proceed.

I am not a fan of Ideal implants since they are heavy and thick saline implants and can still ripple. I prefer regular saline implants if you have some breast tissue and are not going too large, or gel implants.

I prefer to use silicone implants for a few reasons. I like that they come in various projections so that I can customize the results for my patients. I also like the fact that they come prefilled and I do not have to worry about fill tubes and actually filling in-vivo. That being said I will generally use whatever my patients feel more comfortable using. I love the idea of the ideal implant but haven't had the opportunity to use it enough to the point where I can rave about it, but I hope to change that soon

Interesting question. After 42 years in private practice plastic surgery having seen the evolution of implants I would recommend using implants from well established companies. Whether the Ideal model is superior to Mentor or Allergan implants to me is not the issue, which BTW I do not think there are better in fact might see them as slightly under impressive). It is the support from the older companies and their longevity in the cosmetic market place. Just my spin on things