Plastic surgery for breast augmentation increases in popularity annually. A breast implant is a prosthesis employed to correct the size, form, and feel of a female’s breasts in post-mastectomy breast reconstruction; for correcting congenital problems and deformities of the chest wall; for aesthetic breast enlargement; and for making breasts in the male-to-female transsexual patient.

There are two standard types of breast implant devices, based on their filler material: saline and silicone.

Saline Breast Implants

Saline breast augmentation vary in shell surface (i.e. smooth or textured), volume, shell thickness, profile, shape (round or anatomical), in addition to expandable implants. Most saline implants are single lumen, and are filled during surgery.

The saline implant shell consists of a strong, silicone elastomer shell, and is filled up with a sterile saline solution during surgery.

The sterile saline solution, used as the implant filler, should conform to the USP (United States Pharmacopeia) of Normal Physiological Saline (injection grade), which has a concentration of 0.15M and a pH of 7.2-7.4.

Saline implant sizes range from 120cc to 960cc. A patient wanting implants bigger than 850cc will need customized implants.

Saline implants have been belittled for feeling hard or artificial, but improved surgical techniques – such as placing the implant behind the chest muscle and slightly overfilling it – have reduced these issues.

Saline breast implants are available to women age 18 and older for breast augmentation, or women of any age for breast reconstruction.

Should these implants shatter, the body will take up the saline, much like drinking a glass of water. If a saline breast implant ruptures, it is obvious because the implant deflates.

The saline breast implant was created to facilitate an even more conservative surgical technique, of smaller and fewer cuts to the breast, for emplacing a clear breast-implant device through a smaller surgical incision.

About Silicone Breast Implants

Silicone implants are pre-filled with silicone gel – a thick, sticky fluid that closely mimics the feel of human fat.

Silicone breast implants Cardiff are for sale to women age 22 and older for breast implants, or women of all ages for breast reconstruction.

Generally speaking, silicone gel-filled implants are smoother and softer than their saline-filled rivals.

Silicone gel might stay inside the implant shell or drip outside the shell when it ruptures. Sometimes there are no obvious symptoms when a silicone-gel implant ruptures.

The FDA recommends that ladies with silicone-gel filled implants undertake magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) three years postoperatively, then every 2 yrs to check for ruptures. Silicone implants should be removed when they rupture.

Most silicone gel-filled implants aren’t adjustable which is one downside in comparison to saline implants.

Some females think that silicone implants feel and look more like natural breast tissue.

In 1999, a landmark report, undertaken by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) determined that silicone implants do not cause major health problems such lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.

When figuring out which kind of implant is ideal for you, discuss your choices with a board-certified plastic surgeon. Select just the ideal plastic surgeon and don’t forget to explore about his/her qualifications and experiences.