Silicone Breast Implants
Want a totally natural look and feel? Silicone gel implants are soft, supple, and more durable than ever. We offer a wide range of sizes & profiles for just the right fit.
Silicone breast implants have been studied extensively and found to be safe. Options have evolved considerably over the past 10 years, and now we can choose from a variety of gel consistencies (cohesiveness or thickness) and shapes (i.e., round vs. teardrop) to achieve just the right look and feel. Silicone implants come sealed from the factory, and many feel they are the option which most closely mimics real breast tissue. In contrast to saline implants, the FDA has labelled silicone implants for those 22 years of age and older.
Advantages of silicone breast implants
- Greater compressibility than saline
- Softer feel than saline implants
- Less rippling/wrinkling than saline implants
- Feels more like part of your body
Disadvantages of silicone breast implants
- FDA recommended MRIs or ultrasounds (5-6 years after implantation and then every 2-3 years) to monitor for implant rupture
- Higher surgery cost
- Higher maintenance costs
- Slightly longer incision
- Surgeon-recommended implant exchange at 10 years after placement for gel implants (but not for form-stable/gummy bear implants)
Video transcript
“One of the things that has shown up recently with new data as the implants are continually studied is they’ve changed how we monitor MRIs with silicone implants. Recently, as more data has come up, there have been changes in how we monitor silicone implants with MRIs.
It used to be that you would get MRIs 3 years after your implants were placed and then every two years. They realized, through all of these studies, that they just weren’t breaking that frequently. So now they’ve expanded it to every 5 years, and that’s how we know with the new data how we should be checking silicone implants.
So when we look at just the improvement of implants over time, we primarily hear about silicone implants, and the thing that is most recent is high cohesive or gummy bear implants. Right now, there’s a certain level of thickness to the silicone that’s in the implant. Consider one syrup and the next one honey, and the next one even thicker than honey. The improvements that keep being made are how thick is the silicone. So if they came out with something thicker next year, that would be the one that you want. Why? Because when these implants break, you don’t want your silicone to go anywhere. So the thicker the silicone, the better your implant.”–Dr. Samir Pancholi
Silicone breast implant manufacturers
The two major manufacturers of silicone gel implants are Allergan and Mentor. Both companies produce high quality breast implants and offer warranties. In the event of a rupture, they may even help you pay for revision surgery.
Who gets silicone gel implants?
Silicone gel has quickly risen in popularity since its reintroduction and FDA approval in 2006. Available in a wide range of sizes (about 150cc to 800cc) and profiles, most women can get pretty close to what they consider a perfect size. Since they are softer than saline or form-stable (gummy bear) silicone options, silicone gel is an ideal option for those who are very concerned with a natural feel to their breasts. As a round implant, Natrelle or MemoryGel will offer a nice youthful shape with more fullness to the upper pole than a shaped option.
How much do silicone breast implants cost?
The cost of breast augmentation with silicone gel implants will be higher than the same procedure using saline, although most women find this extra cost worth it. On average, the cost of surgery and implants runs around $6,200. We offer a number of convenient financing options to help you fit your breast augmentation into your budget. Call us or contact us online for a consultation or for more information.
