Saline Implants

What Are Saline Implants?

Saline implants were first used in 1964. Nowadays, the shells of the majority of saline implants are made of silicone elastomer. During the 1990s, the majority of women who underwent breast augmentation or breast reconstruction surgery received saline implants because the FDA restricted the use of silicone implants during this period.

What Companies Make Saline Breast Implants?

Most saline implants in the U.S. are supplied by either Allergan, Mentor Corp., or Sientra, all of which are based in the United States.  Standard sizes range from 120 cc to 850 cc.

How Many Women Have Saline Implants?

According to an FDA report, as many as 10 million women worldwide have undergone breast augmentation or reconstruction surgery.  As reported by The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported, more than 290,000 breast augmentation procedures occurred in 2010 in the United States; another 93,000 breast reconstruction surgeries increase the number of American women who received implants in 2010 alone to almost 400,000. About half of these procedures used saline implants.  

What Are the Advantages of Saline Implants?

• Women of any age may opt for a saline implant for reconstruction.
• Saline implants come in many profiles (side appearance), sizes, and textures.
• Numerous improvements have been made since the original saline implants were introduced.
• Should a saline implant rupture, it would immediately deflate and the saline (essentially sterile water and salt) would be absorbed by the body.  This may require surgery soon after to resolve aesthetic issues. By contrast, silicone gel implants are prone to slow leaks following a rupture; these leaks can usually only be detected by routine MRIs that often are not covered by health insurance and represent an additional, long-term cost.
• The average cost of surgery for saline breast implants is slightly less than for silicone.
• Women as young as 18 may choose saline implants for breast enlargement (the minimum age for silicone implants is 22).
• Saline implants can be filled before or during surgery.  The advantage of filling the implant during surgery is that the surgeon may be able to make a much smaller incision to insert the shell and then fill the implant thereafter.
• Getting implants may increase a woman’s confidence and self-esteem; however, it is important that a woman understand that her life will be fundamentally the same after getting breast implants.

What Are the Disadvantages of Saline Implants?

• Some women feel that saline implants do not look or feel as natural as the silicone type; for some, this complain was resolved by have the saline implant placed under the muscle.
• Regardless of what type of implant you choose, your surgeon will recommend having a mammogram done before surgery to aid in the detection of breast cancer later, which can be more difficult when a woman gets implants.
• Initiating lactation may prove more difficult for a woman who has any type of breast implant (Read more about Nursing with Implants).

Are Saline Breast Implants Safe?

Yes, modern saline implants were approved by the FDA in 2000 (Read more about Implant Safety).