Health Care

By Tara Pingle

For the woman who is unhappy with the shape or size of her breasts, breast augmentation may be the answer. Breast augmentation surgery begins with a small, strategically placed incision, and the implant is then placed above or below the muscle, depending on the size and contour desired. Women who have chosen breast augmentation are usually very pleased with their fuller breasts and the more attractive contours they are able to achieve with breast implants.

One question that remains confusing for those considering breast augmentation is whether to choose silicone gel or saline filled implants. Both types of implants have a silicone shell. In fact, many plastic surgeons prefer silicone implants, believing they are more natural looking, feel softer and are more similar to a woman’s natural breast tissue.

However, the use of silicone gel implants has been the subject of reports that women with silicone implants are at greater risk for disease, particularly autoimmune disorders. While no link between silicone gel implants and disease has been established, rumors have persisted, making the saline filled implants a more popular choice among women considering breast augmentation. Although no medical data has established this as fact, most cosmetic surgeons also choose to err on the side of caution by using saline filled implants.

Saline filled implants have an outer shell of silicone filled with saline, which is the same as salt water. A new type of saline implant called a "high profile" saline implant has recently become available, designed for better breast projection and volume.

Other disadvantages of silicone gel implants include the fact that ruptures are harder to detect. While ruptured saline implants flatten as the saline leaks out and is absorbed by the body, silicone implants do not flatten, and much of the gel stays inside the implant after it ruptures, so it is less obvious a rupture has occurred. This also makes replacement of the implant more difficult with the silicone filled model.

Women have the opportunity to discuss all of their options with their plastic surgeon during the initial consultation, at which time the plastic surgeon offers information about the implant that best suits the patient’s needs and allows the patient to ask as many questions as necessary to feel completely comfortable with the surgeon and the procedure.