Saline or Silicone: Should They Stay or Should They Go?

Concern over defective silicone gel breast implants manufactured by the French Company Poly Implant Prothese has created a global health scare. According to the Associated Press, these implants were sold worldwide before the company went out of business and may have been using an unapproved industrial grade silicone in some of the implants. There are differences in the type of implants you can receive and there are risks with each type.

Breast implant surgery enhances the size and shape of your breasts. Implants come in many sizes and shapes to consider each person’s surface texture, shape and personal anatomy. Silicone breast implants were removed from the market in 1992 by the FDA and recently re-introduced. Silicone gel-filled breast implants are approved by the FDA for breast augmentation in women over age 22 and for any breast reconstruction in any age woman to rebuild breast tissue after a mastectomy or other breast damage. Yes, men also elective to have breast implants, known as pectoral implants, to have their chest muscles to bulk out.

There are mainly two options for breast implants: silicone or saline (salt water).

Each has their own advantages or disadvantages.

Saline implants:

* Has an outer shell made of silicone-rubber material

* Saline if ruptures can be easily dissolved by the body

* Disadvantage is saline implants are more likely to show ripples through the skin.

* Feels like a “water balloon”

* If ruptures, it is noticeable as the implant deflates

* Implant is filled after implanted and requires a smaller incision and adjusted for size and usually placed under the muscle

Silicone gel-filled implants:

* Has an outer shell made of silicone-rubber material

* Silicone gel if ruptures may stay inside implant shell or leak out into the body

* No obvious symptoms that an implant has ruptured

* Feels like a semisolid gel

* Implant is placed over the muscle, partially covered by muscle or under the muscle- pre-filled

Risks:

* Post surgical complications including infection

* Pain

* Obstructed mammography

* Breast feeding issues

* Implant leakage

* Implant shifting

* Diagnosis of breast cancer

* Loss of sensation in breast and nipple area

* Hardening or scarring of breast tissue

The FDA recommends that if you have implants to receive MRI screening for any silent rupture three years after receiving your implant and every two years after that. The longer a woman, or man, has implants, the more likely they will need surgery to remove them. FDA is currently investigating the safety and efficacy of “gummy bear implants”, which are filled with a highly cohesive silicone gel that will not leak if the implant shell ruptures. Other breast augmentation procedures that do not involve the implantation of an implant include fat grafting breast augmentation and breast auto augmentation.

Terry Doire is a registered nurse with more than 30 years’ experience in various areas of health care.

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