Choosing Saline vs. Silicone Breast Implants

Saline vs. Silicone Breast Implants

Introduction to Saline Breast Implants & Silicone Breast Implants

Reviewed by Donald Revis, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Your breast augmentation will require you to make many decisions in consultation with your plastic surgeon. One of the most important choices you will make is whether to use saline or silicone breast implants. There is no right answer to the question, but there may be a right choice for you depending on what your goals are. There are pros and cons to both saline breast implants and silicone breast implants so one may be better for you than the other depending on your objectives. Keep in mind that while there are many differences between the 2, there are many similarities as well. Both are available in many implant sizes, shapes and textures. Therefore, both give you so many options that you can achieve the look you desire with either type. The choice will therefore boil down to other factors such as your age, implant feel, potential sensitivity to rippling, the way you feel about saline vs. silicone and other factors. The following chart summarizes some of the differences, but you should read this whole section to learn more about these differences and others.

	SALINE	SILICONE
AGE	Available at 18	Available at 22
CONSISTENCY	Harder than breast tissue	Similar to breast tissue
COST	Less expensive	More expensive
INCISION SIZE	Smaller incision	Larger incision
RIPPLING	More likely	Less likely
RUPTURE	Easy to detect	Harder to detect

This write-up is divided into 3 sections, Brief Implant History, Saline Implant Overview and Silicone Implant Overview. You can skip around or ahead by clicking on the links, or you can read it start to finish. We also recommend that you spend some time on our Discussion Boards talking with other women about their choice. We have many women who have both silicone and saline implants so you can hear both sides of the story from them. You can also read about Nicole’s Surgery and Nicole’s Revision Surgery for her perspective on it (she’s had both). Finally, you can use our Surgeon Finder to do the best thing possible—find a plastic surgeon that will sit down with you, discuss your breast augmentation goals, your body characteristics and help you to make the right choice.

Next: Brief Implant History

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Saline vs. Silicone Breast Implants- Quick Topic Navigation

• Introduction (you are here)

• Brief Breast Implant History

• Saline Filled Breast Implants

• Silicone Gel Breast Implants

• Conclusion