Whats the difference between silicone implants and saline implants?
Implants are soft silicone sacs, inflated with either saline solution (salt water) or a synthetic silicone gel. Until 1992, when the FDA banned silicone-filled implants (except for use in controlled clinical trials among women seeking breast reconstruction), 90 percent to 95 percent of the implants contained the silicone gel because it had a more pleasing look and feel than the saline-filled implants. Since the 1992 ban, 90 percent to 95 percent of the implants have been saline-filled. • Does the study distinguish between the effects of saline and silicone implants? Yes, the study includes women with saline and silicone implants, but no altered breast cancer risk was associated with either type of implant. Of all the implant patients in the study, 49.7 percent received silicone gel implants, 34.1 percent double lumen implants, 12.2 percent saline-filled implants, 0.1 percent other types of implants, and 3.8 percent unspecified types of implants. Double lumen implants have two shells; t
