Silicone or Saline?
You’ve decided to get breast implants. You’ve chosen your plastic surgeon. You’ve picked the date and how you’re going to pay. You might think that all the decision making is over. However, you might still need to make one of the biggest decisions: silicone or saline? These are your two options for your breast implants. Here’s what you need to know about the differences between them in order to make an educated decision.
Materials
The largest difference is in the materials used to produce the implants. After all, it’s the difference that is in the name! Saline implants are made from a silicone pocket or balloon that is then filled with saline solution similar to that used to protect contact lenses. This saline solution is essentially sterile salt water and is completely harmless—a fact that is important in the rare circumstance that the implant tears and leaks.
Silicone implants, on the other hand, and completely made out of silicone gel. This is a thick and sticky fluid. Silicone implants were actually unavailable in the US for a while due to safety concerns (silicone gel can potentially be harmful in case of a ruptured implant), but they have now proven to be perfectly safe and are back on the market.
Cost
Although there are many other options to consider, such as aesthetics and health, silicone implants are much more expensive than saline implants. On average, saline implants cost about $1000 less than silicone.
Recovery and Risks
The recovery process is much the same with each type of implant. After all, you are still receiving the same surgery. There is no proof that one or the other is healthier or more prone to wear and tear than the other.
However, one thing you might want to consider is that saline implants leave a smaller scar, as they can be filled after being placed inside the breast.
Look
The most important part is how the implant will look and feel. This is, after all, the reason behind you getting the implant in the first place. Most people agree that, due to the thick nature of silicone, it feels and looks more like human fat and tissue as opposed to a sack of water. This does not mean that saline implants don’t look natural. They just look less natural than their silicone counterpart.
There are many pros and cons to each of your breast implant options, so choose carefully!
