Saline Implants

Breast implants are man-made devices used to enhance the appearance of the breasts. All implants whether filled with saline or silicone gel have a silicone shell on the outside. Silicone is a complex polymer made of smaller particles of silicon. Silicon is a naturally occurring molecule which can be arranged using chemical reactions to obtain silicone molecules of various lengths and sizes. The shell (hard plastic) and gel (liquid) form of silicone found in breast implants are a few examples of the types of silicone polymers which can be created. Silicon is the most common element on Earth.

Beach sand is made from silicon and so is the glass used in making windows and spectacles. Silicon is extremely versatile and is used to make computer chips, medical devices and is used as a food stabilizer. Additionally, silicon occurs naturally in the human body in relatively large quantities. Silicon is one of the most inert elements known to man and is an ideal substance from which to make medical devices such as implantable joint prosthesis, heart pacers, catheters for intravenous access and breast implants. The human body naturally resists any foreign material implantation, but silicone implants are some of the best tolerated. Several technological advances have been made over the past two decades in the design and manufacture of silicone implants. Newer silicone shells and gels are much better than those used in the 1970s.