March 19, 2026 | Breast Surgery
6 minute read
As one of the most customizable plastic surgery procedures, breast augmentation comes with many choices you can tailor to achieve your perfect outcome. One of the choices you’ll have to make is whether you want silicone or saline implants. This blog will compare the two implant materials, safety, and who is a good candidate for each, so you can make an informed decision about your procedure.
Table of Contents
- Customizing Your Breast Augmentation
- What Are Saline Implants?
- What Are Silicone Implants?
- Ideal Candidates
- Safety Comparison
Customizing Your Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation is about so much more than increasing breast size. Much can be accomplished with this procedure to improve symmetry and sculpt breast shape. Women also use breast augmentation to restore lost volume after pregnancy or weight loss, refining overall breast shape and body proportions. It also helps improve how clothing fits and overall body confidence, so you can live your best life for years to come.
Breast implants themselves have several parameters that can be customized. This includes implant volume, diameter, projection, and today’s subject: material.
The two main types of implant materials are silicone and saline. Both have their pros and cons, and determining which one is best for you ultimately depends on your anatomy, aesthetic goals, and lifestyle.
What Are Saline Implants?
Saline implants have a silicone outer shell but are filled with sterile saltwater (also called saline solution) after they are inserted into the breast pocket.
During surgery, the empty implant shell is placed into the breast. Once it’s in the perfect position, it’s filled with saline to the desired volume. This allows for minor adjustments in size and symmetry during the procedure.
Benefits of Saline Implants
There are many reasons why patients opt for saline implants, including:
- Smaller incisions, because they’re filled after insertion
- Rupture can be detected immediately, since the implant deflates and the saline solution is safely absorbed by the body
- Fill volume can be adjusted during surgery for ideal symmetry and size
Saline Implant Considerations
Some reasons patients might avoid saline implants are that they feel slightly firmer than silicone and are more prone to visible rippling, especially in patients with thin breast tissue. They can also appear less natural in very lean individuals.
However, for patients with adequate natural breast tissue, saline implants often provide excellent results that patients love for decades.
What Are Silicone Implants?
Silicone implants also have a silicone shell, but are filled with silicone gel designed to mimic the feel of natural breast tissue. Furthermore, today’s silicone implants are more advanced than those of earlier generations. Some very popular brands that offer silicone implants include Allergan™ Natrelle® and Mentor®, along with Sientra® and Motiva®, which are covered in detail below.
Silicone implants are popular because they feel softer and less artificial, and they provide more natural movement. They don’t show as much visible rippling either, making them ideal for patients with thinner tissue coverage, which is common in patients looking for breast augmentation to begin with.
Sientra®
Many patients have had success with Sientra® silicone implants due to their natural feel and appearance. They are also incredibly long lasting, with the lowest rupture rate of all implants a decade after insertion. Here are some other features of Sientra® silicone implants:
- Uses gel-shell integration technology to create robust and soft implants and lowers chances of rippling
- Made with High-Strength Cohesive (HSC/HSC+) Gel, which helps implants keep their shape
- Inner and outer shells are bonded together, allowing the shells to work together as one component
If your main concern is the longevity of your implants, or if you desire a natural look and feel, Sientra® implants may be the right choice for you.
Motiva® Silicone Implants
At Burgess Plastic Surgery, advanced options, such as Motiva® silicone implants, are available to our patients. Several Motiva® implant options are known for modern innovations, such as:
- Using a highly cohesive, responsive gel technology that creates a superior natural look and feel
- Involving an advanced, biomimetic design for implants that move with the body, closely mimicking natural breast tissue and animation
- Having a nano-textured surface that minimizes inflammatory reactions and the risk of complications like capsular contracture
- Using a high-integrity shell with reduced risk of rupture
- Using a durable structure with increased tensile strength (TrueMonobloc® structure), allowing for smaller incisions
For patients seeking the most advanced silicone implant technology, this option is worth discussing during your consultation.
Silicone Implant Considerations
When a silicone implant ruptures, the gel often leaks into the surrounding scar tissue (capsule) and remains there, a phenomenon known as a “silent rupture.” Silicone implant ruptures are not always immediately noticeable, so the FDA recommends periodic imaging, such as MRI or ultrasound, to monitor your implants.
Ideal Candidates
You may be an ideal candidate for saline implants if you want a smaller incision, and don’t mind a slightly firmer feel. Immediate rupture detection is a significant advantage of saline implants. Ideal candidates will have sufficient natural breast tissue. Saline implants are FDA-approved for patients 18 years of age or older.
You may be a good candidate for silicone implants if you want the most natural feel possible with less chance of visible rippling. Silicone implants are an excellent choice for patients with thinner breast tissue. And, of course, if you’re interested in advanced implant technology, like Motiva®, silicone may be the way to go. Silicone implants are FDA-approved for patients 22 years of age and older.
During your breast augmentation consultation in Lake Oswego, Dr. Burgess will evaluate your anatomy, review your inspiration photos, and learn your aesthetic goals to make recommendations for the implant type that best suits your needs.
Safety Comparison
Both saline and silicone implants are FDA-approved and ultimately considered safe when placed by a board-certified plastic surgeon.
There is a difference in terms of rupture. With a saline rupture, the implant deflates quickly, and your body absorbs the saline. On the other hand, a silicone rupture often goes undetected, meaning the gel stays within the scar capsule. Imaging is needed to confirm a rupture.
Both implant types carry the risk of capsular contracture, or the tightening of scar tissue around the implant. To reduce this risk, choose a highly qualified surgeon and follow all postoperative care instructions carefully.
Additionally, both the silicone and saline implants offered by Dr. Burgess includes a comprehensive warranty, backed by the implant company, to ensure safety.
Neither choice is inherently safer than the other. An experienced surgeon can help you choose the implant type that best suits your lifestyle, desired results, and safety outlook.
Learn More About Breast Implants in Lake Oswego, OR
If you’re thinking about getting breast implants, the plastic surgeon you choose makes the difference between a decent, good, or fantastic outcome. Dr. Elisa Burgess is a board-certified female plastic surgeon with over 20 years of experience in breast surgery. She and her friendly team help patients achieve their aesthetic goals and increase confidence every day.
To schedule your private consultation at Burgess Plastic Surgery, please call (503) 699-6464 or use our online contact form. We look forward to aiding you on your journey!