Real or Fake?

I have no idea why I want to talk about breast implants, but since it has to do with boobs, I might as well.

So here are some fascinating tidbits of information:

Breast implants give you more control over your size, shape, and profile. Implant plastic surgery can improve appearance after aging and childbearing and can restore a more youthful appearance.

(Note that sagging breasts require a breast lift, which can be performed with or without implants.)

In breast augmentation with implants (augmentation mammoplasty), the implants are inserted behind breast tissue or above the breast muscle. Implants range in volume from 120 mL (milliliters) to 850 mL.

In addition to the volume range, implants vary in shape, profile, outer thickness, and outer surface layer.

Silicone Implants

Some women feel that silicone implants are smoother and softer than saline-filled implants. These implants feel like a semisolid gel. Because of their smooth surface, silicone implants are often preferable for women who have little breast tissue, particularly for women undergoing breast reconstruction.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed silicone implants from the general consumer market in 1992 as a precautionary measure over conflicting reports of possible complications. However, they were reapproved in 2005. Some new types of implants are under development, including silicone implants, that attempt to simulate the smooth feel of the breast.

Options under development include cohesive silicone gel implants — also called "gummy bear" implants — and saline implants that allow implant volume to be adjusted after surgery. Cohesive implants are currently under FDA review. They are claimed to hold their shape better than saline or older silicone gel implants and look and feel more natural. The gummy consistency decreases the likelihood of rippling and should provide greater safety because, being more solid, the silicone will tend not to escape from the shell if it were to rupture.

Silicone Shells for Both Saline and Silicone Implants

Both silicone and saline implants have an outer shell made of silicone-rubber material. But when someone refers to a "silicone breast implant," they mean the filler of the implant, not the shell. The two types of implants used in the United States are:

• saline filled, silicone-rubber shell
• silicone gel-filled, silicone-rubber shell

Currently, the use of silicone gel-filled implants is limited to patients requiring reconstructive or revision breast surgery.

Generally, the silicone-rubber shell is made of:

• Cured long strands of silicones
• Approximately 20 percent finely powdered silica tightly bound to the silicone polymers
• Small amounts of other materials