All women want larger, firmer breasts. Well, maybe not all women, but a great many of them do! The rise in popularity of breast augmentation surgery has made it the most performed plastic surgery in the world. Women want larger breasts and are willing to spend thousands of dollars to get them! They’re also willing to undergo surgery and all the risks that come with it.
If you’re a woman in the modern world and you’ve been considering breast augmentation surgery, you should know that you have three options for breast implants: traditional silicone gel implants, cohesive gel implants, and saline breast implants. Each implant has its own unique features and benefits.
Traditional silicone gel implants – these implants were banned by the FDA for 14 years. During that time, they were tested, researched, and scrutinized more than any other medical device in the history of mankind. Now that the FDA has approved them for unrestricted use, does that make them safe? Not necessarily, but you can certainly rest assured that they have undergone more testing and analysis than any other breast implant.
Pros and cons of traditional silicone gel implants – they require larger incisions than saline implants. This makes silicone gel breast augmentations prone to larger scarring. When they rupture, it is virtually impossible to detect without getting an MRI. On the positive side, silicone gel implants are known as the best “feeling” of the implants because of their silicone gel liquid filler; both men and women agree.
Saline breast implants – these implants enjoyed a 14 year monopoly in the United States for breast augmentation procedures because of the FDA’s ban on silicone gel implants. This was great for manufacturers, of course, but not so great for women – they were left with only a single option for their breast augmentation procedure.
Pros and cons of saline breast implants – these implants are filled with a saltwater solution after they have been placed in the body; this allows for smaller incisions and smaller scars. When a saline implant ruptures, you will know within 48 hours because the implant will completely deflate. The saltwater solution that is leaked into the body is harmless and will be passed via urination (the saltwater solution is what arguably makes the saline implant the safest among all breast implants). On the negative side, both men and women agree that saline implants do not “move” and “feel” as though a real breast should move and feel.
Cohesive gel implants – these are the latest breast implant to enter the United States. Although they have been in use worldwide for almost 20 years, the FDA does not recognize any data that has not been collected under its own clinical trials. These implants are currently being tested and researched within the United States and are not yet available for unrestricted use.
Pros and cons of cohesive gel implants – they seem to be highly resistant to capsular contracture. They also don’t leak like traditional silicone implants or saline implants because cohesive gel implants are a solid mass and not a liquid (if you cut one in half with a knife, you will have two solid masses of cohesive gel; there will be no leakage whatsoever). On the negative side, it is too early to determine if there are any health concerns with this new type of implant. It will be many years before the FDA makes its final decision on the relative safety of cohesive gel implants.
Do you want to learn more about the latest types of breast implants available for breast augmentation surgery? Then you need to contact a licensed, board certified surgeon in your area and schedule a consultation.
Please note: it is not the intention of this article to give medical advice or medical recommendations. If you have health related questions or concerns, or plastic surgery related questions, your best option is to speak directly with a licensed plastic surgeon in your area.
