One of the main advantages of silicone breast implants over saline is that silicone feels more like real breast tissue according to most of our Orange County clients. This is because silicone gel is a very unique substance like normal breast tissue in that it is semisolid. It has the ability to feel somewhat squishy and change shape, but at the same time, it is also pretty firm and will easily go back to its original shape. This quality makes it the ideal substance to mimic the feeling of real breast tissue. Many of our Orange County plastic surgeryclients want to be as natural looking and feeling as possible, so silicone breast implants are usually the more popular choice over the saline breast implants. Saline implants are filled with salt water, and feel somewhat like water balloons, similar to real breast tissue, but not as similar as a silicone breast implants.

Another big advantage of silicone breast implants over saline breast implant is that they are less likely to ripple. The ripple effect seen with saline kind of looks like what the surface of a lake looks like when the wind is blowing across it, creating ripples in the water. This means that saline breast implants may ripple or wrinkle a little when the woman moves around. The ripple effect of saline implants is usually most noticeable in women who had very little breast tissue to begin with. With silicone breast implants, however, the risk of having the ripple effect is unlikely because of the consistency of silicone breast implants and if there’s already a decent amount of natural breast tissue to start with.

However, there are a few disadvantages of silicone breast implants. First off, they are more expensive (about $1,000 more) than saline breast implants, because the silicone gel is more expensive than saline. They can also be a little more difficult to work with. Slightly bigger incisions must be made to accommodate silicone implants, which must be inserted at their pre-filled size, whereas saline implants can be inserted at a smaller, deflated size and then filled up once inserted.

The biggest disadvantage with silicone breast implants is that if it ruptures, it may not be immediately noticeable. Saline breast implants are extremely resilient but there is always the risk that they might leak or rupture. If they do, the fluid will drain out extremely slowly, and it can take a very long time before you notice. There is no evidence that the silicone gel causes any long term harm such as breast cancer or any other illnesses, but it may eventually cause breast pain and change the size and shape of the breast. If saline breast implants ruptures, you will need to have it replaced or taken out immediately. With saline breast implants, on the other hand, the rupture is no cause for concern.  The body is seventy percent salt water (saline) anyways so it’s safe in the body. Also, any rupture of saline breast implants will be immediately noticeable as all the saline will drain out the implant very quickly.