If you're considering breast augmentation surgery, one of the first choices you'll face is silicone vs. saline implants. Saline implants use a silicone shell filled with a sterile saltwater solution, while silicone implants use a silicone shell filled with a silicone gel. Each has its own advantages and drawbacks, so it's worth understanding how they compare before you decide.
Both types can enlarge the size, shape, and feel of a woman's breasts, and both are used beyond cosmetic augmentation, including repairing breasts, correcting congenital defects, and reconstruction following a mastectomy.
Silicone Breast Implants
A common complaint about silicone implants is that they can look somewhat obvious. They don't always offer realistic texture and may not move with your body the way natural breasts do. On the plus side, they leak or rupture less often than saline implants. The trade-off is that a tear in a silicone implant can be hard to detect, which means periodic MRI scans to confirm it's still intact. Silicone also raises the likelihood of capsular contracture, a painful condition in which the body forms collagen fibers around the implant as it tries to reject the foreign material.
Saline Breast Implants
Technically, saline implants also use a silicone shell to hold the saline solution. The saltwater inside is sterile, and the body doesn't recognize it as a foreign material. Saline implants are more flexible than silicone and require a smaller incision, which can reduce discomfort and recovery time.
Many women like how saline implants look and feel, since they tend to move with the body for a somewhat natural effect. The downside is that this movement can cause visible rippling or wrinkling of the skin, and saline implants are more likely to rupture or leak than silicone ones.
Things to Keep in Mind About Breast Implants
Silicone gel implants are considerably more expensive than other types. In 2010, breast enlargement surgery cost an average of $4,960, and that covered only the surgeon's fee. Saline implants added roughly $3,400, while silicone implants added as much as $4,100, and none of these figures include anesthesia or the special bra worn after surgery. Keep in mind that price doesn't necessarily track with quality: bargain-hunting rarely ends well, but a high price is no guarantee of good results either. The most important factors are the surgeon's experience and board certifications.
It's also worth knowing that both silicone and saline implants have a limited lifespan. Many women don't realize this going in and are surprised to learn they'll likely need their implants replaced after 10 or 15 years. Implants can also rupture, sometimes requiring emergency surgery to remove or replace them. Read more about the risks of breast implants.
So Which Is Better: Silicone or Saline?
Choosing between silicone and saline is a personal decision, and neither is objectively superior. But if any of this gives you pause, there are non-surgical options worth exploring. The safest and least expensive are natural breast enhancement pills and creams, which some women use to work toward similar results for a fraction of the effort and cost of surgery. For more, take a look at our product review chart featuring reviews and rankings of today's top breast enhancement products.
