Saline Breast Implants

Saline breast implants have an outer shell made of silicone rubber, and are filled with a salt-water solution. Should the implant ever rupture, it is perfectly safe for the saline to be absorbed into the body. Since saline implants are filled after insertion, it is possible to place these implants through slightly smaller incisions than would be possible with silicone implants.

Saline implants are sometimes criticized for feeling overly firm and unnatural. Depending on the patient, modern placement techniques can be used to place the implant behind the pectoralis muscle. This placement technique can help make saline implants feel more natural and limit any visible rippling. In some patients, there are advantages to placing the implant above the muscle. In selected candidates, Dr. Horowitz may perform a “dual-plane” approach, which combines the advantages of both techniques while limiting the negatives of each. This technique represents the latest thinking from national breast augmentation experts.

Both saline and silicone implants are now available that vary in the degree of projection for any given size.