We often get the question, saline versus silicone. This is something that some people come into the office with a preconceived notion of whether they want saline only or they want silicone only for breast implants. I think the important thing is that there are some things that are very drastic and there are some things that are very nominal with the differences between these two implants.

Let's focus on a saline implant. The saline implant is a silicone shell with essentially water inside the shell. So the part that touches your body is silicone. It's the same shell that encompasses a silicone implant. Realistically, the part of an implant that touches your body on the inside is the same silicone. The saline implant filled with water typically is a little bit heavier than a silicone implant, can feel a little bit less natural, to be honest with you, can feel like a little bit of a water balloon or just a stuck-on feeling. And not uncommonly because it's not a smooth gel, it can ripple. If you're a thin person, you may experience some rippling that can be visible.

Silicone is typically a little bit lighter, a little bit softer, a little bit more natural. I don't work for any of these companies, but I think that if you're going down the route of "what's the best for me," that's a conversation you and I are going to have based on what makes you feel comfortable. Silicone long ago used to be very wet like an egg white and if you threw it on the ground and it would bleed into everything. Now almost every manufacturer has a highly cohesive gel that really stays together. 

Both of these devices can rupture. In a saline scenario, you'll wake up one day and your breast is much smaller because your body absorbed all the saline. In a silicone, you may not even know it. It might be found on a mammogram or an MRI. Even if it ruptures it doesn't bring any inherent danger than we have any evidence to suggest to you. Now irrespective of whether it's saline or silicone, when you have a rupture, typically you have them swapped out and realize that either one of these devices are just that. They're a medical device. Just like tires, they may go flat and they may go wobbly and they might need to be replaced. Let us answer all those questions for you during a consultation. Let us dispel the myths and talk about the things that concern you, and let us help you.