Houston Plastic Surgery Blog

As breast enhancement surgery gains popularity across the country, the more women need to know about their options when it comes to the kinds of implants they can receive. Knowing the differences between the kinds of implants, including material in the actual implant itself and the different sizes and shapes of the implants can make a significant difference in the results of your surgery. Perhaps one of, if not the most important decisions in the breast augmentation process is figuring out what kind of implant to use.

The two choices for implant fill are silicone gel and saline. Silicone gel was restricted by the FDA from 1992-2006, but now is available to all women over the age of 22 and is making a resurgence. The positives to a saline implant are that if the implant were to rupture, the liquid would just be absorbed back into your body. The incision scar has a tendency to be smaller with saline implants. The disadvantages to saline are that the implant tends to look more round and less natural, and shows ripples more clearly. On the other hand, silicone gel’s benefits include better self-support to reduce sag, a softer, more natural feel and texture, and less rippling. Silicone suffers from a risk of “silent rupture,” slightly longer scars from the insertion process, and usually a higher cost.

The two main shapes are round and teardrop. The round shape suffers from a less natural look, but there is no danger of the implant shifting and creating an odd shape. Teardrop shaped implants look more natural, but also can shift or rotate.

Choosing the right implant for you can help ensure a positive enhancement process. Leo Lapuerta, Jr. and his staff at The Plastic Surgery Institute of Southeast Texas can help you make the right decision about which kind of breast implant is best for you. Please schedule a breast implant consultation today to go over your breast implant options.