Should You Choose Saline, Silicone, or Gummy Bear Implants?

Getting breast implants for the right reasons is a confidence-boosting act of self-love, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. If you’re considering breast augmentation surgery and are eager to begin your beautiful transformation, one of the most crucial choices you need to make is which type of breast implant to invest in. A basic choice is between saline and silicone implants. If you find yourself gravitating towards silicone implants, then your options expand to include “gummy bear” breast implants.

The question is, which one of these options will achieve the breast augmentation results of your desires? Keep reading to find out.

Option #1: Saline Breast Implants

Saline breast implants are silicone-based shells filled with sterile salt water. Immensely popular during the 1990s and early 2000s, saline breast implants were initially developed to serve as an alternative to silicone fill. Usually empty when inserted into the female body, plastic surgeons fill each shell with the saline solution during the operation, though some saline breast implants are available pre-filled.

These breast implants come in a variety of sizes. Their shape is typically more round compared to other options, and their shells are either smooth or textured.

If you’re considering saline breast implants, some benefits include:

• Less noticeable scars
• Easy modification

When your doctor fills the breast implant during the procedure, the initial incision is smaller than it would be for silicone implants. As a result, your surgeon can change the size of your implants without needing additional or extensive surgery due to a valve, which your surgeon can access with a needle.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved saline-filled breast implants for patients 18 years of age and older.

Complaints against saline breast implants are minimal. The one common criticism, however, is that they do not feel as natural as silicone breast implants. Advances in surgical techniques and training have reduced these complaints, but the overall feel of saline still differs from silicone.

Option #2: Silicone Breast Implants

Silicone breast implants are, you guessed it, silicone shells filled with a soft-to-the-touch silicone gel. Though patients and surgeons alike consider these implants to be more “natural feeling and looking” in comparison to saline breast implants, in previous years, they also posed more health risks, which is why we mentioned earlier that saline implants were an alternative to their silicone counterpart.

From 1992 to 2006, the FDA stopped the use of silicone breast implants due to safety concerns, which may present themselves if a silicone implant ruptures and leaks. However, the FDA has since reinstated the use of silicone implants and has approved them for breast augmentation in patients aged 22 and older. These medical devices have undergone a major overhaul: in addition to being safe, today, they are more popular than saline implants. Learn more about the safety of silicone breast implants.

Option #3: Gummy Bear Implants

The increasingly popular and high-in-demand “gummy bear” silicone implant is among the latest advancements in breast augmentation technology. Introduced in the mid-2000s, the FDA did not approve these medical devices until 2012. Today, more and more patients are seeking gummy bear breast implants due to their natural look and feel.

Gummy bear breast implants are an excellent choice for patients who want more volume in their chest while simultaneously mimicking the look and feel of natural breasts. To be specific, these implants offer a true-to-life-looking “teardrop” shape at the bottom half of the breast. Traditional saline and silicone breast implants are round in nature, which is why gummy bear implants have made headlines, as they introduced a new and original teardrop shape, which closely resembles the droop of natural breasts.

Furthermore, these implants have a firmer silicone shell that holds its shape, even when you cut it in half, similar to when you cut a gummy bear candy in half. As such, in the unlikely event of an implant rupture, these resilient implants will retain their shape.

Just keep in mind that because gummy bear breast implants are a form of silicone implant, only adults over the age of 22, or women of any age undergoing breast reconstruction surgery due to breast cancer, can have gummy bear implants. It is not FDA-approved for pregnant and lactating women.

The Difference Between Gummy Bear Implants and Traditional Silicone Implants

The main difference between traditional silicone implants and modern gummy bear implants is the thicker consistency of the modern implants’ gel. Gummy bear breast implants are overall firmer, hold their shape better, plus they feel and look more natural.

If you are a cancer survivor in need of breast reconstruction surgery, gummy bear implants offer you a unique advantage: unlike your other options, gummy bear implants don’t need to fit around the existing breast tissue.

There is also a small but significant difference when it comes to safety. One of the risks of early silicone breast implants is the possibility of the device rupturing and the silicone content leaking into the surrounding breast tissue. Fortunately, manufacturers have minimized that risk with the use of stronger implant shells. The risk of leakage is even lower with gummy bear implants, as the gel is much thicker.

Moving along to incisions, placing gummy bear implants requires a slightly longer incision than either traditional silicone or saline implants.

Are You Ready to Take the Next Step?

Now that you understand the basics of saline, silicone, and gummy bear implants, you should be more prepared to make an informed decision on which option is best for you. However, because getting breast implants is an important decision, we recommend consulting a plastic surgeon to leave no room for regrets.

Dr. Aldo Guerra is a board-certified plastic surgeon and an authority in breast augmentation in Scottsdale. Dr. Guerra is one of the most extensively trained and highest-rated plastic surgeons offering procedures in Arizona, ensuring that you and your vision are in good hands. To schedule your consultation and be a step closer to achieving your body goals, contact us at 480–970–2580 today. A confident new you awaits.