Choosing a Breast Implant Type

Choosing the right type of breast implant for you will involve the expertise of your plastic surgeon as well as consideration of your desired outcome. The outer shell of breast implants are made of silicone and the implant can be filled with either silicone gel or a saltwater solution called “saline.”

In preparation for your breast augmentation, consider both types of implants. Silicone-filled implants:

• Are less likely to ripple and wrinkle.
• Appear and feel more like a natural breast.
• Require a longer incision because they are pre-formed before insertion.
• Are more expansive than saline implants.
• FDA-approved only for people 22 years of age or older.

Saline implants have advantages and disadvantages as well, including:

• Less expensive than silicone breast implants.
• More likely to ripple and wrinkle.
• Filled by your surgeon instead of a manufacturer, so implant size is highly customizable.
• Ruptures are easily identified because the breast will decrease in size when this occurs (silicone implants do not change breast shape when they rupture, so an MRI is recommended every two years with the silicone type).
• Less similarity to the look and feel of a natural breast.

In your initial breast augmentation consultation, be honest and upfront about the results you want. After hearing what you expect, your surgeon can determine the best type of breast implant for you.

Southeastern Plastic Surgery & Laser Center offers both types of breast implants in Charlotte, North Carolina. Please contact Southeastern today for a free initial consultation.