Silicone breast implants are basically a silicone shell that is pre-filled with a silicone gel solution. This gel – while still a fluid – is thick and sticky to closely mimic human fat. This is the most popular implant type in that the majority of breast augmentation procedures are completed using silicone implants. Most women also tend to believe that they look and feel more like natural breast tissue.
Ideal candidates for silicone implants
Silicone implants are FDA approved for women over the age of 22 years. This is because female breasts can continue to grow and develop until the late teens or early 20s. Plastic surgeons also require that you are in good mental and physical shape before they agree to perform this procedure. You may not be a good candidate for silicone breast implant surgery if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have cancer, or have an abnormal mammogram.
Pros of silicone implants
Silicone breast implants have the following distinct advantages:
- Due to their composition, silicone breast implants tend to look more natural than saline implants.
- Silicone breast implants tend to feel soft and more like natural breast tissue.
- Silicone implants are less prone to rippling and wrinkling.
Cons of silicone implants
There are some disadvantages to keep in mind when considering silicone breast implants:
- Since these implants come pre-filled, they require bigger incisions and increase the risk of visible surgical scars.
- Silicone implants are more expensive than saline implants.
- Rupture or leakage of silicone implants is hard to detect.
Maintenance of silicone implants
If a silicone implant ruptures, you may not notice at all because the leaking silicone tends to be trapped within the fibrous tissue around the implant. This is what is referred to as the silent rupture risk with silicone implants. While the leaking gel isn’t believed to cause major health issues such as reproductive problems, breast cancer, or rheumatoid arthritis, it may result in breast pain along with thickening of the breast. Changes in the breast contour may also be observed. Surgical removal is the typical solution for removing ruptured silicone implants. Plastic surgeons do recommend that women who get a silicone breast implant undergo an MRI scan every few years to ensure that everything is working alright.