While most of Dr. J’s patients prefer the look and feel of silicone breast implants, saline implants are the most popular alternative form of breast implant for augmentation and breast reconstruction. Their outer section features the same kind of silicone outer coating as silicone implants. However, after being placed inside the chest cavity, they are then typically filled with a sterile saline solution (salt water).
Since saline solution is comprised of ingredients naturally found in the body, some patients consider a saline implant to be a safer choice compared to synthetic materials such as silicone. Also, ruptures in saline implants may be easier to identify as the breasts tend to quickly decrease in size as the implants leak.
Another reason some women opt for saline implants is that they are available to women 18 and older for breast augmentation, while silicone implants are available to women 22 and older for augmentation procedures. Although the saline solution can be easily absorbed by the body, when ruptures occur surgery is still very often recommended to remove the silicone casing. Overall, the differences in safety between the two types of implants appear to be negligible and most experts believe that the very minor risks posed by them are essentially the same.
For further information about breast augmentation or reconstruction, or any other procedure, please visit our contact page or call the phone number above to see about a consultation with Dr. J.