Choosing the Right Implants for You: Gummy Gel, Saline or Silicone?

If you’re tired of not being able to do justice to a great bathing suit or a dress with a plunging neckline, breast implants are a fantastic way to make up for Mother Nature’s stinginess regarding your breast size.

And there are no shortage of options when it comes to breast implants. In fact, it can be hard to sort through them all to find the one that’s best for your goals.

To break down the world of breast implants, we pulled together the following primer to help you understand the differences between the many options in breast augmentation. Here at McHugh Plastic Surgery, we’ve helped many of our patients in and around the Woodlands, Texas, get the profiles of their dreams — and we can do the same for you.

Take a few minutes to help you decide between saline, silicone, and gummy gel, all of which are made by implant leader Natrelle®.

Saline Implants

As the name implies, saline implants are filled with a saline solution, and they’re available to women ages 18 and older. There are several advantages to saline implants, starting with being highly customizable when it comes to size.

Using only a small incision under your arm, around your nipple, or under your breast, Dr. McHugh threads the malleable shell through and, once in place, fills it to your desired size. This means that incisions are minimal, leaving you with barely-noticeable or hidden scarring.

Another advantage to saline is that should the implant leak or rupture, your body easily absorbs the sterile saline solution. Should this happen, Dr. McHugh can go in again and remove the shell, replacing it with a new one.

The disadvantages to saline come with texture and feel. Since they’re filled with liquid, your breasts may not be as firm as other options, and there may be some rippling.

Silicone Implants

Here again, the name describes what’s inside the implant: silicone gel. This option is available to women who are 22 years or older who are seeking breast augmentation for a more shapely profile.

The gel inside this implant more closely mimics the feel of natural breast tissue, and the implants hold their shape very well. The incision we make to place the implant is larger, since the implant is already formed. That said, Dr. McHugh makes every effort to leave minimal evidence of the procedure.

If you opt for silicone, you’ll need regular MRIs to ensure that the implant is functioning as it should. A leak or rupture will show up on the imaging, and Dr. McHugh works with you to replace it. In these situations, the silicone usually doesn’t travel far and often stays inside the implant, making removal and replacement easier.

Gummy Gel

The final option in breast augmentation is the increasingly popular gummy gel implant. These implants reign supreme in their ability to hold their shape, and they look and feel for all the world like natural breasts.

Natrelle makes three versions of the gummy gel implant — gummy, gummier, and gummiest — so you have a wide range of firmness options.

These form-retaining implants don’t run the risk of leakage, but they do require that we make a longer incision to place them correctly. Gummy gel implants come in different sizes, such as round or tear-dropped shape, as well as five profiles, from low to extra-full projection.

The best way to decide which option is right for you is to make an appointment to come see us so we can review your goals. While you’re with us, we explain the pros and cons of each and work with you to find an implant that will have you champing at the bit to get into that new dress or bathing suit.

Give us a call or use the online scheduling tool on this website to request an appointment.