What Patients Should Know About Silicone-Filled Breast Implants

Breast Implants, Plastic Surgeon, Plastic Surgery, Plastic Surgery Blogs Comments (0)

In cosmetic plastic surgery, doctors either use the saline- or silicone-filled implants in conducting breast augmentation and breast reconstruction.  This is because the synthetic materials have been noted for their high tissue compatibility rate and relative safety to a significant number of patients.

For women who are concerned with the natural appearance, most Los Angeles plastic surgeons would recommend the silicone implants which are filled with a cohesive silicone gel noted for mimicking the movement and feel of a breast tissue.  Meanwhile, this may not be the case with saline implant (filled with a sterile saltwater) which feels like a water-balloon, according to some patients’ description.

However, the ability of the silicone gel to simulate the natural feel of tissue comes with a downside: because of its cohesiveness, a leak usually stays around the tissue and may go undetected for years if the patients will only rely on the “visible manifestations.”  For this reason, having this implant involves a regular MRI screening to identify “silent leak,” according to cosmetic doctors in plastic surgery.

It is very important to immediately treat “silent leak” in silicone implants as this condition may lead to gel migrating to lymph nodes and other major organs, severe inflammation of the tissue, pain and discomfort, and hardening of the breasts.

Meanwhile, this test is not a requirement for women with saline implants since a rupture will immediately result to breast deflation, according to specialists in plastic surgery.

Despite some downsides associated with the use of silicone-filled implant, most LA plastic surgeons agree that it usually lasts longer than the saline version since it has a less risk of rippling (which may damage the shell in the long run).  But as with any type of breast implant, this is not designed to last a lifetime which means that patients will most likely undergo a revision breast augmentation at some point in their lives.

Another advantage of silicone- over saline-filled implant is that it has no natural deflation, meaning, patients can maintain their breast volume for many years unless the shell ruptures or breaks.  Unfortunately, this is not the case for women with saline implant since its saltwater filling evaporates inside the body; as a result, they can lose about 1 percent of their breast volume every year.

For petite patients or women who have a thin layer of breast tissue and skin, plastic surgeons would generally recommend using silicone implants which have a less risk of rippling—a problem which occurs if the thickness of the tissue is not enough to cover the shell.

Cosmetic Surgery Blogger @ October 27, 2011