When preparing for breast augmentation, you have several critical decisions to make, but perhaps chief among them is saline vs. silicone.
Breast implants give your breasts extra shape and volume when placed over or under the pectoral muscle. Results from breast augmentation are long-lasting; while the implants remain in your breasts, you’ll enjoy an enhanced appearance.
Saline or silicone? Which type of breast implant is better?
Saline Breast Implants
Saline breast implants consist of a silicone shell filled with a sterile saline solution. These round implants come in various options for shape and projection.
Here are the top benefits of saline breast implants.
- Cost: Saline breast implants typically cost less than silicone.
- FDA-approved for younger women: Saline breast implants are FDA-approved for women ages 18 and up. Silicone breast implants are FDA-approved for cosmetic breast surgery in women who are at least 22.
- Easier to remove: Sometimes, saline implants are easier to remove than silicone. Your surgeon can rupture the implants inside your breasts and remove them through a smaller incision.
- Easier to adjust: Saline breast implants come as empty shells. After placing these devices inside their pockets, the breast implant surgeon fills them with a medical-grade saline solution. This flexibility allows them to readily adjust the size. Because of this unique benefit, saline breast implants are ideal for addressing asymmetry.
- Smaller incisions: Since saline implants don’t get filled until they are inside the breast pockets, they only require small incisions that leave more discreet scarring.
- You’ll know immediately if you have a leak: If a saline implant ruptures, the fluid inside will drain into the breast, where your body will absorb it. You’ll immediately see the change in your breast size – no imaging needed.
Silicone Breast Implants
Silicone breast implants are the more popular type of breast implant. They feature a silicone shell filled with silicone. Silicone breast implants come in two different types – traditional silicone implants filled with a soft silicone gel, and “gummy bear” implants filled with a cohesive silicone that holds its shape.
- Many shapes available: Silicone breast implants are available in many shapes including round and teardrop-shaped. With more shapes, there are more options for creating your desired breast appearance.
- Soft, natural feel: Patients say silicone breast implants feel almost identical to a natural breast, which is why they are so sought-after.
- Less wrinkling and rippling: Silicone breast implants are less likely to wrinkle or ripple than a saline implant.
Schedule a Breast Augmentation Consultation With Dr. Vandegrift
Whether you choose saline or silicone breast implants, with Dr. Vandegrift as your surgeon, you can feel confident in achieving beautiful and natural-looking results. Schedule a consultation to visit our office and receive personalized treatment recommendations from Dr. Vandegrift, one of the top female plastic surgeons in Long Island. Call (631) 935-0303 or request a consultation online.