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You should discuss these options in your consultation with your cosmetic surgeon as the best combination of these choices will be dependent upon your personal circumstances e.g. the size and shape of your natural breast tissue.

In modern day breast enlargement surgery in the UK, there are two main types of synthetic breast implants used. These are saline breast implants and silicone breast implants. You may also be interested to read our article on the breast enlargement historyhistory of breast enlargement and the materials used historically for breast implants.

In addition to the synthetic implants, natural tissue is also sometimes used but this is typically for reconstructive surgery following mastectomy for example. Natural tissue is rarely used for cosmetic purposes, one of the reasons being scars from taking tissue from other areas of the body.

Saline Breast Implants

Saline breast implants consist of a silicone elastomer bag filled with sterile saline solution. Saline is simply salt water. Expandable implants are available which can be adjusted in size, typically up to 6 months after surgery. When these are inserted initially, they are under filled and have a filler port attached to them. Over a period of a few weeks after surgery, you will return to visit your surgeon who will inject additional saline into the implants, typically in 50 cc increments. Once you are happy with the size, then the filler ports are removed. This approach will help reduce traumatisation of your natural tissues and help minimise stretch marks.

There is a limit as to how much filling can be done (i.e. the maximum capacity). However, slight over-filling is possible and this is sometimes used to balance out differences in natural breast size so that the overall effect is close to identical breast sizes.

Advantages:

• Long lifetime - 10 to 14 years.
  
  
• In the rare event of breast implant rupture, the sterile saline solution can safely be absorbed into the body tissue.
  
  
• Saline implants can be pre-filled or inflated during surgery. The size can also be adjusted relatively easily after surgery without having to have them replaces. This is done by filling or removing saline through a valve.

Disadvantages:

• Saline implants may, over time, start to shrink and wrinkle.
  
  
• They may feel or appear less natural than silicone implants.

Silicone Breast Implants

Silicone is a synthetic compound made from silicon which has been combined with carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Gels and elastomer forms of silicone are used to make breast implants. Silicones are used in common everyday materials such as hand lotions, lipsticks and deodorants. Silicone is an inert material that has been used in medical technology since the 1940's. It has been used in breast implants since 1962.

Advantages:

• Long lifetime - 10 to 18 years.
  
  
• Silicone is soft and pliable which gives the implant a natural look and feel.
  
  
• It has a 'shape memory' which makes it less likely to wrinkle or ripple with age.
  
  
• Silicone is also very tough and durable. In the rare event that the implant was to tear or rupture, it would keep its shape and silicone would not leak out into the surrounding tissue. In fact, if an implant is cut in half the gel will not leak out and the shape will be maintained.

Disadvantages:

• Cohesive gel firm implants may result in a slightly larger scar than with soft silicone gel implants or saline implants.
  
  
• Due to the nature of silicone, a ruptured implant can potentially go undetected for years. It is recommended that women with silicone implant are checked every few years. The most effective way to do this is through an MRI scan which can be costly.