Breast Implant Fill (Silicone and Saline)
1. Breast Implant Fill - Saline or silicone?
As of November 17, 2006, women in the U.S. aged 22 and over have the option of choosing both
saline and
silicone gel filled breast implants. The 1st
breast implants were filled with silicone gel. As
breast implants evolved, saline (salt water) became an accepted alternative fill to silicone, although silicone can look and feel more like a real breast. Whether filled with
silicone gel or
salt water, the shell of both types of
breast implants is made of a firmer, silicone elastomer.
Background
In 1992, after decades of widespread availability of
silicone gel-filled breast implants, FDA Commissioner David Kessler decided that the safety of
silicone breast implants had not been established and had
silicone breast implants removed from the market. For 15 years,
silicone gel-filled breast implants were available only to
breast reconstruction patients and patients undergoing
breast revision surgery. In order to receive silicone, women had to enrolled in clinical trials mandated by the FDA. The ban on
silicone breast implants was lifted on November 17, 2006.
To read articles about the FDA's approval of
silicone gel breast implants, click here (Detour - opens a separate window).
Note:
Soy filled implants are no longer available. The risk of infection on rupture from this substance was too high. Some claimed they also smelled bad!
Next choice:
Move onto picking a
breast implant size . . .
Breast Implants: The Full Roadmap
- Saline
- Silicone
- History & Controversy
- Studies about Silicone Gel Breast Implants
- Who Qualifies for Silicone Breast Implants
- Cohesive Gel and Gummy Bear Silicone Breast Implants
- Methods of determining ideal breast implant size choice
- Using Nicole's photo gallery to help choose size
- Choosing from breast implant manufacturer specifications
- Choosing Breast Implant Shape and Profile
- Breast Implant Shapes: Round vs. Anatomical (teardrop/contoured/shaped)
- Breast Implant Profile: Low, Moderate, High
- Textured Surface Breast Implants
- Smooth Surface Breast Implants
- Moderate profile breast implants (regular/standard)
- High profile breast implants
- Low profile breast implants
- Moderate "PLUS" profile breast implants