A breast implant is, quite simply, a silicone shell that is filled with either saline or silicone gel.
Saline implants are filled with salt water.
They tend to feel firmer.
They are much more prone to visible rippling.
This is especially true in women with thinner breast tissue.
Silicone gel implants are also made of a silicone shell, but they are filled with silicone gel.
Some women initially feel more comfortable choosing saline because they are concerned about silicone in their body.
However, it is important to understand that both saline and silicone implants have a silicone shell that is in contact with the body.
From a safety standpoint, saline and silicone gel implants are equally safe.
What many women do not realize is that not all silicone gels are the same.
Silicone formulations vary widely in their mechanical properties.
This affects how soft your breast will feel, the shape it attains and how it moves with your body.
The newest sixth-generation silicone implants are Motiva implants.
These represent a significant improvement over fifth-generation implants such as Allergan Natrelle, Mentor, and Sientra.
Motiva implants use a next-generation silicone gel that moves more naturally with the body.
They create a greater perception of softness.
In addition, Motiva implants have a SmoothSilk surface.
This surface has been shown to produce far less inflammation and significantly less bacterial attachment than other implant surfaces.
This has resulted in THE LOWEST rates of capsular contracture, rupture, and other device-related complications of any breast implant.
More on Motiva implants later in this video series
The next video addresses round versus teardrop shape and implant profile. Patients are commonly confused and misinformed by these terms. You will see how these important factors can affect the shape of your breast.
