Nowadays, there is a great variety of implants for different medical surgical procedures, being very common the use of these in aesthetic surgeries such as gluteoplasty or buttock augmentation and mammoplasty or breast augmentation, the most common surgeries that use implants.
So, in mammoplasty, different implants can be observed, each with its own characteristics and in this article you will find information about the types of breast implants, so that you know their differences and, if you plan to have breast augmentation surgery, you will know what you will be placed.
What are breast implants?
They are a medical device that is placed in the breasts, either in the breast tissue itself or in the pectoral muscle, in order to increase the volume of the breasts or to reconstruct them in case of loss of the breasts due to an accident or medical procedures.
As in the case of breast cancer, where the breast or breasts are totally or partially removed, also to give them a better shape in case of deformities during growth.
Types of breast implants
Breast implants are usually classified according to the material with which they are filled, finding in these cases implants filled with silicone or silicone and others filled with saline solution, each presenting different characteristics.
Saline implants
These are implants that contain a saline solution inside, which is basically sterilized salt water. These are usually soft, the implant is placed empty and, once located, the saline solution is injected inside.
Silicone implants
They are implants with silicone gel inside. This gel has been evolving to be thicker and more viscous, so much so that in the very rare case that the cover breaks or there is any leakage in it, the content should not leak.
By cutting one of these implants, the filler is able to stay in place. Currently this type of breast implants is the most used and preferred by many women, as it is the one that gives the breast a more natural feeling.
Although breast implants are usually classified by the material they are filled with, variations can also be found in the shell, which in both cases is silicone, but can be smooth, mycotextured or textured.
With the shape, some round and others anatomical, which give a more natural shape to the breasts; you can also find different sizes that will give different volumes to the breasts.
What are the risks of the types of breast implants?
The risks for each type of breast implant are the same, without much variation, being able to find:
- Encapsulation of the implant, forming scar tissue around the implant that can change the shape of the implant and this, in turn, changes the shape of the breast, generating a deformation of the implant.
- Infections, these can occur due to a bad procedure during surgery, where asepsis was not sufficient.
- Severe pain that tends to be more common when the implants were recently placed.
- Displacement of the implant, which can generate pressure in some area or nerve that generates severe pain.
- Little or too much breast tenderness, especially in the nipples.
- Although extremely rare, it can cause a certain type of cancer that is not breast cancer, having been found to be more common in the case of implants with textured shells.
- Rupture of the implant: if it is saline solution, it does not represent a risk, the body will absorb the solution without being harmful, the implant deflates and the breast changes its shape.
- In the case of a silicone one, you will probably not notice that it broke, since the silicone remains in the same place, however, it can sometimes cause pain, swelling and changes in the shape of the breast.
What should I do in case of any complications?
Whatever the complication or type of breast implant, you should seek medical advice. Most likely for any of the above mentioned cases, you will require additional surgery to correct the problem, acting according to each case.
