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Which Breast Implants to Choose – Silicone or Saline?

Breast augmentation helps women get fuller breasts, adding volume and offering them the confidence in their appearance. Even though adding that ‘wholesomeness’ helps in accentuating their assets, most women are confused about what kind of breast implants to choose from. With the advancement and innovation, there are several options available to women today. There are two basic kinds of breast implants out there – Silicone and Saline. These come in different shapes and sizes that are custom fit to help you achieve your desired results. Your surgeon can give you more information on each choice, but here are some basics worth knowing.

Silicone Breast Implants

The first implant surgeries used Silicone breast implants. They have certainly been improved since those days but these are still widely popular owing to their durability and most women need the results to feel and look as their natural tissue. The outer shell is Silicone and it is filled with a stable, medical grade, thick silicone gel. Since 2006, these implants have been FDA approved for use for women above the age of 22.

Some of the options are:

MENTOR® memory gel breast implants – these come with the standard projection with a wide base (Classic) and the higher projection with a moderate base (Moderate Plus and High Profile). The outer shell surface is textured and smooth and the implants themselves are covered by the MENTOR® Premier Advantage Limited Warranty and also with their lifetime replacement policy.

Safety of a silicone implant:

The amount of silicone that releases from these implants is very minimal. This is in fact lesser than the amount you absorb everyday from consumer products that contain Silicone.

• The silicone released is about 1/1000^th of the weight of a pinhead
• As per a study presented to the FDA, this is more than a million-fold below the required safety limits.
• This is also a hundred-fold below the amount absorbed daily from other consumer products that contain Silicone like skin care lotions and antiperspirants or hair products.

Saline Breast Implants

These breast implants are also made of a Silicone outer shell that has a saline or salt water solution. These are the most popular implant choice these days and since these are FDA approved, have been used extensively over the last few decades. Saline implants are effective in adding volume with great results. Since the amount of saline added to each implant can be varied, these are the best option for correcting asymmetrical breasts. These FDA approved implants can be used for younger patients, 18 years and above.

Some of the options are:

MENTOR® Saline implants – these are filled with salt water solution which is similar to the fluid that makes up our body. These saline breast implants are a bit firmer to the touch. Since the fill volume is flexible, the surgeon gets the option to adjust the implant volume during the placement.

There are a few options with projections –

• The Style 1600 – this is the moderate, smooth and rounded profile adding greater dimension to your breasts.
• The Style 2000 – this is the moderate plus projection offering the same base but a higher profile than the style 1600.
• The Style 2600 Siltex® - this offers a round and fuller look with a textured surface on the shell.
• The Style 3000 – these are high profile offering greater projection for more volume on a narrow chest wall.

All of these implants are covered by the Mentor® enhanced warranty and lifetime replacement policy.

With both the Saline and the Silicone breast implants, there are advantages and disadvantages. It is important to discuss your desired results and the kind of implant that best suits you.