Types of breast implants

The implants used for breast are a saline (salt water) and silicone implants.

Deciding between saline breast implants and silicone breast implants is a matter of personal preference for the patient.

Saline breast implants consist of a silicone shell which is filled with a salt solution which closely mimics other fluids in the body. Many patients favor this type of implant because it is believed to be relatively safe and ruptures are typically easy to detect because the majority of the fluid leaks from the implant. When this happens the size of the breast is usually noticeably different within minutes, but the fluid which escapes into the body is harmlessly absorbed and excreted. The implant will still need to be removed and replaced, if desired, but patients enjoy the security of knowing ruptures will be detected quickly and escaped fluids will not cause complications.

Silicone gel implants consist of a silicone shell which is filled with a thick, synthetic substance. Many patients favor this type of implant because they believe the results are the most physically appealing. Additionally, silicone breast implants are less likely to produce contour irregularities, such as wrinkling. However, one disadvantage to silicone gel implants is ruptures can be difficult to detect. When a rupture occurs, the majority of the gel usually remains in the implant so there may not be a noticeable change in breast size. A surgeon may not even be able to detect a rupture during a routine examination.

Patients who wish to have implants that are larger than the average size may wish to have custom implants made. Not all surgeons will be willing to perform a breast augmentation procedure involving custom implants so selecting a surgeon might be more difficult. Additionally, the procedure might be somewhat riskier and the fee for the procedure will likely be higher than those involving commercially available implants.