What is the Difference Between Silicone and Saline Breast Implants
February 6, 2010 by admin
Filed under Breast Augmentation, Q & A
If you’re considering breast implants, you may already be wondering how to choose between saline and silicone breast implants. Dr. Anthony Lombardi, a plastic surgeon in NJ explains your options.
Saline and silicone breast implants are similar in that they both are made of an outer silicone shell. The implants differ in material and consistency, however. Some surgeons and patients feel that silicone implants have a more natural look and feel than saline implants because silicone gel has a texture that is similar to breast tissue.
- Saline breast implants: Saline implants are filled with saline, usually at the time of surgery. Saline implants have been criticized for feeling hard or unnatural, but improved surgical techniques — such as placing the implant behind the chest muscle and slightly overfilling it — have lessened these complaints.
- Silicone breast implants. Silicone implants are pre-filled with silicone gel — a thick, sticky fluid that closely resembles the feel of human fatty tissue. Some women feel that silicone breast implants look and feel more like natural breast tissue.
Are Silicone Breast Implants Safe?
Yes, silicone breast implants are safe and FDA approved. In the early 1990’s it was believed that silicone breast implants were responsible for connective tissue diseases in some women. After a thorough evaluation of the evidence for the Association of Silicon Breast Implants with human health conditions, the Institute of Medicine concluded in June that there is “no definitive evidence linking breast implants to cancer, neurological diseases, neurological problems or other systemic diseases.”
Furthermore, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states:
“Silicone is used not only in breast implants but also in implants located literally throughout every part of the body. It has been used: to construct heart valves and other cardiovascular prostheses; to fashion catheters which are used for purposes ranging from drug delivery to cardiac monitoring; in dentistry; in the gastrointestinal tract; as a facilitator for nerve regeneration; in ophthalmology; in the ear, nose, throat, and respiratory tract; as a prosthesis or ingredient in prostheses for many parts of the skeletal system; as a tissue expander; as a cosmetic agent for treatment of scars and wrinkles; in the urogenital tract, including penile prostheses; and in many other applications.”
Source:http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/cbm/silicone.html
More information regarding breast implant surgery can be found at http://www.doctorsofcosmeticsurgery.com/sub/breast.jsp
Dr. Lombardi’s dedicated plastic surgery blog is online at http://lombardiplasticsurgery.com/
About Dr. Lombardi:
Dr. Lombardi is a Plastic Surgeon in NJ and the founding surgeon of The Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery Center in Eatontown, New Jersey. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Dr. Lombardi has received highly specialized training in all aspects of cosmetic surgery including Breast Augmentation, Facial Rejuvenation, and Body Contouring procedures. He is trained in the latest cutting edge techniques of cosmetic surgery including laser surgery, Botox, Restylane, and all of the newest facial fillers. In addition, Dr. Lombardi is the first plastic surgeon in Monmouth County to perform Thermage, or the non-surgical Facelift.
To learn more about Dr. Lombardi, visit http://www.doctorsofcosmeticsurgery.com/
