Silicone Breast Implants

Silicone Breast Implants

Silicone gel breast implants are made of an elastomer filled with a silicone gel substance and are one of the two major types of implants used in the plastic surgery procedure know as breast augmentation or breast implants. The FDA has recently approved the use of silicone implants for women 22 years of age and older. Saline breast implants are said to provide a more realistic look and feel than saline implants; however, it is much harder to detect a rupture with gel implants due to the fact that the substance is not absorbed by the breast tissue. Recent developments have lead to a new type of silicone implant often referred to as a “gummy bear” type substance. This gel maintains its shape even if there is a rupture to the elastomer. Due to the harder gel like substance of these implants, studies have shown them to be far safer than their predecessors and less likely to contract or rupture.

There are both benefits and drawbacks to silicone implants. They are firmer than their counterpart the saline breast implants so they tend to provide a more realistic feel and are less likely to rupture or collapse. Their firmness also provides less chance of migration which causes dissymmetry in the breasts. The drawbacks of silicone implants are that they require larger incisions. The implants themselves are pre-filled before placing them inside the patient. The most common incision for silicone implants is the inframammary incision which is a large incision under the natural fold of the breast. Larger implants will often hide the scar as the breast will fall over the fold but the scarring is more visible in smaller implants. The final drawback is the the cost of silicone implants which is always higher. Silicone gel implants usually cost around $1,000 more than saline breast implants.

For More Information see the Breast Implant General Information Page.

For Answers to Frequently Asked Questions see the the FAQ Page for Breast Implants