Overview of Saline Breast Implants

The phrase knowledge is power is especially true with medical procedures. Knowing detailed information about your breast implant options will help facilitate pre-operative discussions with your surgeon about which options are right for you.

What Is A Saline Breast Implant?

A saline breast implant, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), consists of a silicone outer shell that is filled with a sterile, salt and water solution.

Saline implants are filled to the size determined by you and your doctor either before or during your breast augmentation procedure.

This provides two advantages over silicone implants: minor modifications to the implant size can be done during the surgery and saline implants can be inserted through a smaller incision.

Can I Choose Implants to Meet My Desired Cup Size?

It’s important to know that breast implant size does not correspond to bra cup sizes. Breast implants are instead measured by volume in cubic centimeters, or CC’s.

Approved Manufacturers and Procedures For Saline Implants

The FDA has approved saline implants for the following situations:

• Breast augmentation procedures-for women 18 years and older
• Breast reconstruction procedures-for women of any age
• Breast surgery revisions

There are two approved manufacturers of saline implants in the United States: Allergan and Mentor.

There are three types of saline implants that are manufactured to give you and your doctor the most flexibility. The first is an implant that is filled through a valve during the procedure and adjustments to the saline volume can be done after the operation.

The second type is filled with a fixed amount of saline by your doctor at the time of the operation and no further adjustments are made. The third type is pre-filled by the manufacturer with a fixed amount of saline.

Be sure to discuss what you hope to gain from breast augmentation surgery. Your doctor will know which options will best suit your situation and goals.

Contact Dr. Tracy Pfeifer online, or contact her staff at one of her three New York locations in Manhattan, Long Island, and the Hamptons to learn more about your breast augmentation or breast implant options.

Additional Source: BreastImplantSafety.org

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