Saline implants are salt water filled implants
Silicone implants are made of a soft, yet cohesive, silicone gel

Saline implants usually provide a slightly fuller appearance to the breasts compared to silicone.  Silicone implants, recently approved by the FDA for women 22 years or older, more closely mimic the density and texture of breast tissue and so have a softer, more natural feel and (usually) less visible rippling.  Silicone can make a significant difference in patients with thin skin/breast tissue, but in patients with thicker skin and more breast tissue, this difference will be less noticeable.  Saline implants are usually placed while mostly empty, then filled once inside the woman’s body.  Silicone implants are pre-filled and placed at their full volume which means the incision for silicone implants is usually slightly larger than for saline implants.  Saline offers the surgeon and patient a bit more flexibility since they can be filled with a variable amount of saline, allowing “fine tuning” of the size during surgery.  Silicone implants are somewhat more costly than comparable saline implants.

Which implant is better for you?
Factors to consider:
  how much breast tissue you have
  what is the quality of your breast tissue
  what size breasts you prefer
  how important scarring is to you
  how important the feel of the breast is to you
  how much your budget allows you to spend
  are you 22 years of age or older

At Valley Plastic Surgery, Dr. Wells will discuss all the factors relevant to you and together, you will make the best choice for you.