IMPLANT OPTIONS
Surgical breast augmentation is the only guaranteed way to increase the size of your chest for the long term. With last year's FDA ruling that made silicone implants an option for all women over the age of 22, the choices have expanded. In addition to implant selection, there are other variables that you will discuss with your board certified plastic surgeon. And keep in mind that your natural size, shape and proportion may influence some of these factors.
SALINE IMPLANTS
Saline implants are filled with sterile salt water that can be safely and naturally absorbed by the body in the event of a leak. These implants can be prefilled, or filled at the time they are inserted.
PROS
- Saline implants filled at the time they are placed require smaller incision and can be adjusted if one breast needs slightly more augmentation that the other.
- In the event of rupture, the implant deflates (so you'll know immediately and be able to contact your surgeon).
CONS
- Saline implants are more prone to rippling that can be seen and felt, and they may feel firmer than natural breast tissue, especially if they are filled to capacity.
SILICONE IMPLANTS
Now available for women over the age of 22, silicone gel implants have come a long way from their predecessors, and are considered a safe and effective option for breast augmentation. Across the country, currently, there are still more saline implants used than silicone.
PROS
- Patients and surgeons alike report that silicone offers a more natural look and feel.
- May be more suitable for very thin patients, since silicone implants better conform to the natural shape of the body.
CONS
- Due to the cohesive nature of silicone, if any implant ruptures you may not know.
- Silicone implants are pre-filled, so they require a somewhat larger incision to insert.
- Silicone implants are more expensive than saline.
- The FDA recommends a breast MRI three years after augmentation with silicone implants, and every two years after that.