Which implants are better: Silicone or saline?

One of the first important decisions to be made when considering a breast augmentation is the choice of either saline or silicone breast implants. It should be noted that about 90 percent of breast implants sold in America are silicone implants. Why do so many patients prefer the silicone variety?

It has been my experience that if you ask patients that have had both implants they almost always prefer the silicone variety. They say the implant feel more natural on the inside and the outside. This means that silicone breast implants feel softer when squeezed and they feel more natural on the patient’s chest. Patients describe saline implants as something not fully integrated with their anatomy—it feels and acts like a water bag that is separate from the breast whereas a silicone breast implant feels like it is part of the natural breast. Saline breast implant can feel foreign whereas silicone beast implants feel like they are part of your anatomy.

Having said that, there are many women who enjoy saline breast implants, particularly if they are sized well with their natural anatomy and they aren’t having any issues with the breast implants like stretching or malpositioning. A C cup breast with a 225 cc saline implant will feel much better than a small A cup breast with a 450 cc saline implant. The ratio of natural breast to breast implant is an important consideration that is directly correlated with breast implant complications and natural feel.

In general, silicone breast implants work well with all patients considering a breast enhancement but the ideal patient for a saline implant is someone who has a reasonable naturally sized breast and is looking for a little more fullness/size. There are patients who also feel that saline implants are safer from a medical perspective so the trade off compared to silicone implants is just fine. There is no quality data to suggest saline implants are safer than silicone implants.

There are other differences between saline and silicone breast implants that you can read about from my website. If you have any questions or concerns about your choice of breast implants you should seek out the advice from a reputable plastic surgeon to bring some clarity and reassurance to your breast enhancement.