Saline Implant Deflation

When patients have deflated saline implants the results can be very dramatic. These implants flatten rapidly and patients suddenly find themselves with significant breast asymmetry. This can create anxiety and because of this, patients are eager to have the problem corrected as soon as possible. For this reason, we don’t see a lot of women with deflated implants for prolonged periods of time.

Surgeons are also eager to correct the problem as soon as possible. They realize that with time, the implant pocket starts to shrink. This may be accompanied by creases and folds in the deflated implant, which can cause erosions through the skin.

With the passage of time, revisional surgery becomes more difficult with a greater potential for complications. When implants are replaced early, all that is necessary is a simple exchange of the old, deflated implant for a new one. When the empty implant is left in place for a prolonged period, the implant pocket may need to be re-created because of shrinkage.

Although we recommend removal and replacement of a deflated implant at the earliest possible date, we realize this isn’t always possible. In theory, empty saline implants can be left in a place indefinitely. If this situation arises, it’s important to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon as soon as possible.

Saline Breast Implants

Saline implants have the potential to look and feel natural following breast augmentation surgery. This requires adequate soft tissue coverage of the implant and the selection of an appropriately sized implant.

When adequate soft tissue coverage is present, the breast looks and feels natural. When soft tissue coverage is inadequate, the breast may not feel normal and rippling may be present.

Adequate soft tissue coverage is more likely if the patient has a moderate amount of her own breast tissue and the implants are placed underneath the muscle. Under these circumstances, the breasts are more likely to feel normal and also have less rippling. The use of large implants would have the opposite effect because the soft tissue coverage would be inadequate.

In patients who have minimal breast tissue and a thin body habitus, an artificial feel and rippling may be unavoidable. In this situation, silicone implants in a submuscular position may be necessary to obtain a natural look and feel.

A consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon will help determine the appropriate style and size of breast implant. It would not be unreasonable to expect a natural feel and look with saline implants. With a reasonable starting breast volume, moderate-sized saline implants and submuscular positioning should give excellent results.

Breast Implants: Silicone vs. Saline

The type of breast implant used is one of the most important decisions facing patients undergoing breast augmentation. Silicone and saline implants both offer significant advantages for breast augmentation and are both associated with high satisfaction rates.

Although it’s hard to tell the difference between saline and silicone when looking at patients, there is a significant difference in how they feel. This difference is especially noticeable in women who have minimal amounts of breast tissue.

Silicone implants offer several advantages over saline implants. The most important advantage is how they feel. There is no doubt that they feel more natural than saline implants especially when there is minimal breast tissue present. In addition, silicone implants are less likely to cause rippling than saline implants.