There’s a lot to know before deciding to undergo breast augmentation. One of the biggest options is whether to choose saline or silicone breast implants.  Let’s go over some of the differences between these types of breast implants.

Silicone Implants

Silicone breast implants are the implants most commonly chosen for breast augmentation. Here are some of the key things to know about silicone breast implants:

• The feel: Silicone implants contain cohesive silicone gel.  This tends to make the breasts feel a little more like natural breasts, with a little less crinkly feeling, than saline breast implants.
• Thickness of the silicone gel: The silicone filling comes in varying degrees of gel thicknesses, including highly cohesive implants that remain stable even if there’s a tear in the outer implant shell.
• Potential downside: One of the disadvantages of silicone implants is that a rupture might go undetected.  Sometimes nothing changes when a silicone implant leaks.  If a leak goes undetected for an extended period of time, this could lead to more internal scarring and more difficult surgery to remove or replace the implant.
• Cost: Silicone implants are typically more expensive than saline implants. 

Saline Implants

Saline breast implants are a popular option for breast augmentation. Here are some of the key features and things to consider about saline implants:

• Filling process: Saline implants are filled with sterile salt water after the implant shell is placed in the body. This may allow for smaller incisions than when using silicone gel implants, which are pre-filled.   Since the implants are filled once already inside the breast, this may allow for a little more ‘fine-tuning’ than with silicone gel implants.  If there are minor differences in breast volumes, one saline implant can be filled with a little more or a little less saline than the other to make up for these small differences.
• Rupture risks: When a saline implant leaks it collapses, and the body harmlessly absorbs the saline.  The breast becomes smaller and loses its shape.  You know it when it has happened.
• The feel: Saline implants tend to ripple more than silicone implants.  Typically this is more noticeable along the sides and the bottoms of the breasts.

Contact Us to Schedule a Consultation

If you’re looking for breast augmentation in Fort Worth, Dr. Kelly R. Kunkel is the specialist to call. During your individualized consultation at our Fort Worth office, Dr. Kunkel will discuss all the options available to ensure you get the best results possible! Schedule a consultation by calling 817.335.5200 or completing our website’s contact form.