Breast Implant Types - Saline vs Silicone

Once you have made up your mind to have breast augmentation surgery, you must next decide what breast implant types to get. There are two types, saline filled implants or silicone filled implants. Silicone filled implants are often called cohesive gel implants, memory gel implants or even “gummy bear” implants. Implant size is also an important factor.

Saline Breast Implants

Saline breast implants consist of a silicone rubber shell that is inflated to the desired size by being filled with sterile saline. Most implants have a valve that is sealable by the surgeon. There are two types of saline-filled implants: the fixed volume implant, which is filled with the entire volume of saline when it is implanted; and the adjustable volume implant, which is filled during surgery but can be adjusted. Saline-filled breast implants were approved by the FDA on May 10, 2000.

Cohesive Gel Implants

Cohesive has been adopted as a new term to describe the newer silicone fill materials when comparing them to the more liquid fills in implants made in the 1970s. It is not a new technology; it’s just a new term that is used to describe the greater viscosity that is the preferred mode of silicone breast implant today.

Memory Gel Implants

Memory gel implants have been in use for nearly twenty years and over a million women all over the world have them. They feel more like natural breast tissue than other types of implant. In fact, some people refer to them as the gummy bear or Jello implant because of the consistency of the silicone gel. It is solid rather than liquid, giving a more natural texture. It is called memory gel because it will return to its shape if stretched. If there is a leak or rupture, the gel binds to itself, reducing the change that the silicone will spread beyond the implant.

Implant Size

Implant size is typically a personal decision for the patient to make. Cup size is an inexact estimate of the final size, since cup sizes vary by manufacturer and fit. Describing the cup size does aid the surgeon, however, although it helps to use photos to show the plastic surgeon the desired look.

The most accurate method of estimating implant size in ounces is to fill a plastic bag with measured amounts of water, place it in a bra with the patient’s estimated cup size, and cover it with a sweater.

To learn more about your breast implants options, you can request a free consultation with a plastic surgeon near you today.