Silicone and Saline Breast Implants
Dr. Bahram Ghaderi offers both silicone and saline breast implants to his breast augmentation patients at St. Charles Plastic Surgery. Silicone gel-filled and saline-filled breast implants can help women achieve the size, shape and bust contours they desire.
For examples of the results obtained by Dr. Ghaderi’s breast implants patients, please visit the photo gallery page.
Many breast implants patients find that their new figure gives them a greater sense of self-confidence.
Making The Right Choice For Yourself
Silicone gel-filled and saline-filled breast implants offer distinct advantages and disadvantages that should be discussed with Dr. Ghaderi in a private consultation prior to deciding on one or the other.
Why Women Choose Silicone and Saline Breast Implants
Women undergo breast augmentation surgery with Dr. Ghaderi in order to change the size and shape or their breasts. Some women are dissatisfied due to the fact that their breasts are naturally small. Others find that their breasts are different sizes and wish to bring them into balance. Still others find that pregnancy, weight loss or age has caused their breasts to lose volume or sag. Breast enhancement with breast implants is a safe way for women to address all these concerns and improve their self-image.
Candidates for Breast Implant Surgery
The best candidates for breast implant surgery are women who wish to improve their appearance but have realistic expectations about what surgery can accomplish. In addition, they should be physically and emotionally healthy and have a clear understanding of their own motivations for wanting the surgery.
Silicone Gel-Filled Versus Saline-Filled Implants
Silicone-filled implants have a more natural look and feel and are, therefore, the most popular type of implant in many countries. However, because they are filled before insertion, they require a slightly longer incision; thus, the scar is longer. If there is any concern about the integrity of the implant, an ultrasound or MRI is needed to assess it.
Saline implants provide a uniform shape, firmness, and feel. Saline-filled implants have the advantage of being filled after insertion. Thus, they require a smaller incision and leave a shorter scar. The disadvantage of saline-filled inserts is that they present a greater risk of rippling and palpability.
Another difference between the two types of implants is cost, with saline-filled implants about $1000 less than silicone gel-filled implants.
History of Silicone Gel-filled Breast Implants
Silicone gel-filled breast implants first became available in the 1960s but were not regulated by the FDA until 1976. Due to concern that silicone breast implants may have been causing autoimmune and connective tissue diseases, the FDA requested a voluntary moratorium on their use in 1992. However, after numerous studies, in 2006 the FDA concluded that silicone gel-filled implants posed no health risks. The FDA approved silicone implants for breast reconstruction in women of any age and for breast augmentation in women over 22.
Since 2006, silicone gel-filled implants have been the most popular choice for women in many parts of the world, including the United States. Advances in the technology have permitted the development of silicone that holds together and remains intact in the event that an implant ruptures, thereby increasing the safety of the implants.
If you have more questions about the difference between silicone and saline implants, contact our office for more information, or to schedule a consultation.
