Silicone Breast Implants

Silicone breast implants were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2006 after extensive testing showed that they were safe for general use. Silicone implants offer more natural looking and feeling results than other types of breast implants because silicone gel is more similar in consistency to breast tissue.

Breast Implant Fillers: Silicone Implants

Silicone breast implants are made up of a silicone shell filled with silicone gel. In the past, silicone breast implants were common; however, they were pulled from the market in 1992 due to various health concerns (in particular, concerns about implant rupture and leakage). As a result, saline breast implants became the norm. Because certain medical claims against the safety of silicone breast implants were discredited—and other concerns were addressed with more durable shell materials—the FDA rescinded the ban on silicone breast implants in November 2006. (Cohesive silicone gel implants remain unavailable for general use, but are currently undergoing clinical testing.) Now women have both saline and silicone types of breast implants available for breast augmentation.

Advantages of Silicone Breast Implants

Perhaps the greatest advantage silicone types of breast implants have over saline implants is their more natural look and feel. Silicone gel has a consistency that closely resembles that of natural breast tissue, so silicone breast implants are often virtually undetectable after they have been placed, especially with submuscular placement. Also, the viscosity of the silicone gel makes the rippling that sometimes occurs with saline breast implants much less common. Because of this, women who are very thin or who need reconstructive breast surgery achieve much better results with silicone breast implants.

Disadvantages of Silicone Breast Implants

The disadvantages of silicone implants in comparison to saline types of breast implants include the risk that a rupture will go undetected. When a saline breast implant ruptures, the result is immediately evident. The saline solution quickly dissipates, and the implant collapses. When a silicone breast implant ruptures, however, the silicone can leak from the implant but remain in the cavity that holds the implant, making detection of the rupture difficult.

Silicone breast implants have a higher incidence of capsular contracture than saline implants. Capsular contracture is the formation of scar tissue that compresses the breast implants, making the breasts feel hard. Your plastic surgeon can provide more information about this and other breast augmentation risks and potential complications from breast implants. In addition, because silicone breast implants come pre-filled, they require a larger incision for placement. Women keeping close tabs on breast augmentation cost should know that silicone breast implants are significantly more expensive than saline implants.

Who is a Candidate for Silicone Breast Implants?

To receive either saline or silicone types of breast implants, women should be in good health and not pregnant or nursing. Silicone breast implants provide excellent enhancement for nearly all women, and because the silicone gel mimics breast tissue much more closely than saline solution, silicone breast implants are recommended for women who have:

• tissue or skin that is too thin to support a saline implant
• a pre-existing implant (saline or silicone) which causes severe wrinkling or another deformity
• had a mastectomy and now seek reconstruction
• congenital chest deformities or severe asymmetry
• a history of traumatic injury to the breast

Locate a Doctor in Your Area through DocShop

Silicone breast implants offer a more natural look than saline implants but are more expensive. If you are considering breast augmentation surgery, use DocShop to help you find a highly qualified plastic surgeon in your area to learn more about the types of breast implants available and which is best suited to your needs and the look you desire.