Silicone Gel Breast Implants

Information on silicone gel breast implants. Read about gel implant shapes, silicone implant sizes, incision site, implant placement and more.

Silicone Breast Implants are filled with a silicone gel. More than 1.5 million American women currently have Silicone Breast Implants. While some people feel that these implants feel more like a "natural" breast, their safety came into question about 15 years ago, due to claims that they caused autoimmune diseases and hardening of the breasts. Now, the FDA has evaluated and determined that Silicone-Filled Breast Implants are safe for use in breast augmentation and reconstruction surgery.

In comparison the saline breast implant has an exterior sac made of solid silicone and is filled with a sterile saline solution. The saline breast implant is the most commonly used implant for breast augmentation. Advantages of this implant include its safety because the saline is absorbed by the body if the implant leaks, and has a very low infection rate. Another advantage is the implant is filled with fluid after being inserted into the breast, and therefore the plastic surgeon only needs to make a very small incision to insert it.

View before and after breast implant photos.

Breast Implant Shapes

Implants have various shapes, including Round, Teardrop or "Anatomic." Round Implants are wider, provide greater cleavage and fill in the upper portion of the breast. Many plastic surgeons suggest Teardrop or Anatomic implants for women who are seeking fullness mostly in the lower breast.

Breast Implant Placement

The plastic surgeon has four ways to enter the breast for implant placement. The Peri-Areolar Incision is made like a half-circle at the outer edge of the areola, the colored area around the nipple. This method grants the plastic surgeon the greatest access for precise placement of the implant, and provides better control of bleeding during surgery - thereby reducing the risk of scarring and Capsular Contracture - the hardening of breast tissue. The Trans-Axillary Incision, an incision placed in the armpit, is less desirable because it is far from the central location of the implant, and makes it difficult for the plastic surgeon to position them. The Inframammary Fold Incision is made near the under-breast fold, and like the Peri-Areolar Incision, gives the plastic surgeon good control in positioning the implant. The Trans-Umbilical Incision (TUBA) is a one-to-two inch incision at the edge of the "belly button" through which a long metal tube containing the implant is pushed towards the breasts to place it, also makes precise placement more difficult. Each method has other advantages and disadvantages. Discuss the best technique for your needs with your plastic surgeon.

See a video for Inframammary Subglandular Breast Augmentation

You should also discuss the method of implant placement - Subpectoral or Subglandular - with your plastic surgeon. During Subpectoral placement, the implant is positioned under the Pectoralis Major muscle and directly over the rib cage, so that the lower part of the implant is not covered by any muscle, creating a more tear drop breast shape. During Subglandular placement, the implant is placed above the chest muscle, but below the mammary gland, which gives the implant less protection and a higher risk of Capsular Contracture.

You should thoroughly explore implant size with your plastic surgeon, who should give you as much time as you need to "try on" different sizes of implants. You should not only consider breast size, but also what size is proportional with your frame and your height. Breast Augmentation is a major surgery, so you should be highly selective to choose a plastic surgeon who has performed this procedure many times. The plastic surgeon should show you "Before and After" examples of his or her work, and have an artistic sense that is in sync with the results that you are seeking.

Find a plastic surgeon or cosmetic surgeon in your area that uses saline breast implants or silicone breast implants for breast augmentation surgery. Contact these surgeons about the breast augmentation procedure, the prices and costs of the surgery, anesthesia, surgery center fees, breast augmentation financing, recovery time, view before and after breast augmentation photos and more.