 Deciding to have any kind of plastic surgery is a very big decision-breast implants are no exception. If you are thinking about having breast implants put into your body, you will need to consider exactly what kind of implant is going to be best for your body.
There have been many advancements in both the materials used and the safety of breast implants over the years. In the past silicone was a very dangerous material to use, and caused many medical problems in the patients that chose them. However, the solutions were improved and made safer, and in 2006 they were once again approved for FDA use on patients in the general public. However, this does not mean that silicone implants are automatically the best choice for everyone. Silicone and saline materials are very different, and each come with own set of positives and negatives. It is important to sit down with your plastic surgeon to talk about the different options that you have, so that you make the most informed choice possible.
The first material to consider is saline. Saline implants tend to feel firmer than silicone implants, which means the feel is not as close to that of natural breast tissue. In addition, some patients complain of being able to manually detect the outer edge of the implant inside their skin. While this bothers some people a great deal, other people do not even notice the issue. When it comes to an outward appearance, there is little difference when it comes to the materials. With the use of saline, you may experience a little bit more wrinkling and rippling of the skin, those this does not always occur. This is less likely to be apparent when the implants are placed under the pectoral muscle. It is also less likely to be noticeable in women with sufficient natural breast tissue to cover the material used. Many women who are quite thin prefer to use saline materials. Another distinct difference is that saline pieces are placed inside the body as an empty shell, and filled once they are secured in place. Because of this you will require a smaller incision, which means a smaller scar-a very important benefit to many patients. This characteristic allows the surgeon to roll the empty implant shell up, and tunnel it under the skin for placement. In addition, filling the implants after they are in place allows the surgeon to make adjustments to volume during surgery to compensate for existing asymmetries. Your plastic surgeon will be able to talk to you further about how the procedure would go in this circumstance. Many women fear that their implant will rupture or leak. If your implant ruptures, deflation happens within a few minutes or hours. While this is obviously not desirable in any circumstance, there are not serious complications from this occurrence. At some point, most pieces will rupture or leak at some point-they are not made to last an entire lifetime. If a rupture does occur, they should be removed right away. Contact your plastic surgeon and talk to them about any complications you have as soon as they occur. Your next material to consider is silicone. Silicone implants have a softer feel that is closer to that of natural breast tissue than saline. You are less chance to notice any ripping on the skin, and many plastic surgeons prefer to work with them in over-the-muscle placement circumstances. If any rupturing does occur, there will not be deflation. For this reason they can be more dangerous, as you may not notice a problem right away. In some cases of rupture, the silicone gel stays put inside the capsule-however, this is not always the case, and it can migrate around the body. Sometimes silicone can bleed out, even if the shell remains intact. Although studies have shown no link between silicone implants and systemic disease, silicone migration has been known to cause the formation of granulomas, and may increase your chance of developing pneumonitis. Talk to your plastic surgeon about these different options, and decide which one you feel the most comfortable with. With the help of professionals, you will be able to choose the one that is going to be the best looking and feeling addition to your body. | 
