Questions about Silicone Breast Implants

Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Glendale, Arizona

What are the advantages of silicone implants?

The FDA approved silicone breast implants for use in 2006. In general, patients and plastic surgeons alike praise silicone implants for having a more natural look and feel. Women who have thin breast tissue or small, hanging breasts can especially benefit from the reduced risk of rippling. When the breast is touched, a silicone implant will generally be far more difficult to detect than a saline implant.

What are the disadvantages of silicone implants?

Unlike saline implants, silicone implants come in pre-filled sizes. While Dr. Angelchik is able to effectively use these various sizes to your advantage, he will have less exact control over the volume of your breasts.

Leakage in silicone breasts implants is also much less noticeable, since the cohesive gel will appear to remain intact even when it is slowly leaking. Because of this, the FDA recommends that patients with silicone breast implants undergo regular bi-annual MRIs to detect potential implant leaks.

Are silicone implants safe for my body?

No single medical device has undergone more study than silicone breast implants. Because silicone is used in several life-saving devices – including heart valves, artificial joints, and pacemakers – it has been extensively studied for decades.

After years of research, the Academy of Medicine concluded that there is no significant correlation between silicone implants and the connective tissue disorders that initially worried the FDA prior to 2006. As time goes on, silicone breast implants have become an increasingly popular option among patients.

Why is the minimum age higher for silicone breast implants?

Although the minimum age for saline breast implants is 18, women must be 22 years old or older to receive silicone breast implants. This is because the FDA has decided that women at the age of 22 are more likely to have experienced full and complete breast development. Silicone implants also require monitoring in order to detect leakage, and the management of a leaking silicone implant has the potential to be more complicated than the management of a leaking saline implant.

If you have more questions about silicone breast implants, please contact us today to schedule a personal consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Paul Angelchik, MD. Our practice serves patients in the Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Glendale areas of Arizona.