An understanding of gravity’s effects on fluids helps in deciding what implant best suits a certain patient. For instance, lean women with very small breasts are far more likely to palpate and even see the rippled edge of a saline filled implant than a woman who is either less lean or has a larger starting breast. Now, if. That woman goes  under water and lays flat on her back- not a common position- she would find far less ripples: simple!

So, for lean women, and for women who have very small breasts and a relatively long starting nipple to inframammary fold distance, a silicone gel breast implant is often a far better choice. Simple, right!

Silicone gel implant feel more natural and are less heavy feeling because of the density of saline,( water), and the pull gravity exerts on the saline implant against the curve of the chest wall. So over time, the silicone gel implants tend to decent and lateralize less, so, a longer lasting aesthetic result with silicone commonly.

I’m not knocking saline here, just pointing out some facts that I have seen proven out over 19 years of careful evaluation with a keen eye in thousands of women. You can get a great outcome in cosmetic breast implant augmentation with either saline filled implants or silicone gel filled implants but there are undeniably subtle differences.

Stay tuned for a discussion on round vs shaped implants.