I'm deciding between silicone or saline? My doctor suggested silicone because of my very small breast size. Can saline still look natural on me?

I was 100% set on saline. I felt it was the better choice for me. I have little breast tissue. Will saline be okay for me or should i go with what my doctor says?

Answers from doctors (10)


More About Doctor David J. Levens, MD

Published on Feb 01, 2023

Saline and silicone are both perfectly acceptable options for breast implants. A few differences: silicone much more common, tend to "feel" more natural, tend to "feel" lighter, tend to "ripple" less especially in a woman with thinner tissues regardless of breast size. Perhaps your surgeon is concerned that your thinner tissues may be more prone to show rippling. Placing implants partially ("dual plane") under the chest (pectoralis major) muscle also helps to minimize rippling and implant visibility.

Answered by David J. Levens, MD (View Profile)

Saline and silicone are both perfectly acceptable options for breast implants. A few differences: silicone much more common, tend to "feel" more natural, tend to "feel" lighter, tend to "ripple" less especially in a woman with thinner tissues regardless of breast size. Perhaps your surgeon is concerned that your thinner tissues may be more prone to show rippling. Placing implants partially ("dual plane") under the chest (pectoralis major) muscle also helps to minimize rippling and implant visibility.

Published on Jul 11, 2012


Larry Leverett, MD, FACS

Published on Nov 11, 2016

IF you have very little breast tissue, saline implants might be horrible because they may yield a high incidence of visible and palpable ripples and they may feel plasticy.

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Answered by Larry Leverett, MD, FACS

IF you have very little breast tissue, saline implants might be horrible because they may yield a high incidence of visible and palpable ripples and they may feel plasticy.

Published on Jul 11, 2012


Barry J. Kaplan, D.O.

Published on Jun 07, 2016

Nonsense. A natural look depends on submuscular placement, using a size that fits your base and takes into account how much coverage you have. I only use saline, hi profile.

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Answered by Barry J. Kaplan, D.O.

Nonsense. A natural look depends on submuscular placement, using a size that fits your base and takes into account how much coverage you have. I only use saline, hi profile.

Published on Jul 11, 2012


Edward Domanskis M.D.

Published on Mar 12, 2016

Saline implants can look natural, but they do come with some potential downsides--seeing ripples, feeling the implant more than you would with silicone, and deflation.

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Answered by Edward Domanskis M.D.

Saline implants can look natural, but they do come with some potential downsides--seeing ripples, feeling the implant more than you would with silicone, and deflation.

Published on Jul 11, 2012


Nova Cosmetic Center

Published on Mar 10, 2016

Always follow the advice of your surgeon. Either implant would be OK, it really depends on the size that you are picking.

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Answered by Nova Cosmetic Center

Always follow the advice of your surgeon. Either implant would be OK, it really depends on the size that you are picking.

Published on Jul 11, 2012


Robert J. Brueck MD, FACS

Published on Mar 10, 2016

There is NO question that if you have little breast tissue, it is best to go with silicone. Sometimes I will do fat grafting along the breast one/sternum and upper pole of the breast to add soft tissue and make it look more natural.

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Answered by Robert J. Brueck MD, FACS

There is NO question that if you have little breast tissue, it is best to go with silicone. Sometimes I will do fat grafting along the breast one/sternum and upper pole of the breast to add soft tissue and make it look more natural.

Published on Jul 11, 2012


There are three reasons a few person may still get saline:

-they don't have the money for silicone
-they want to put in enormous implants through small incisions, small areolas, or the armpit
-they have an irrational fear of silicone.

In my opinion, if someone can't afford the relatively small upcharge for silicone, they shouldn't be getting implants at all. Complications can occur; revisions will be needed;

Enormous implants should not be used and slightly larger incisions are inconsequential relative to the benefit of silicone. Large implants stretch skin and thin tissue. Someone with little breast tissue such as yourself least of all should have a large implant. Sometimes patients are committed to an incision around the areola when they have small areolas; yet the data for the underneath incision so far exceeds that with the areola incision that you should be getting the underneath incision anyway.

The data shows that silicone is safe. Yet once or twice a year I see a patient who has read some holistic website that cites heresay and conjecture about silicone being dangerous, and even after learning the facts, still cannot get that worry out of their minds. So these patients may still end up with saline.

The advantages of silicone are great; less rippling; less stretch, better feel; better appearance. All of these become more important the less breast tissue a patient has. With little breast tissue implants like the Allergan 410 and the Sientra 107 use more cohesive gel and are much less prone to rippling than other implants.

But to answer your question: saline is okay. It is not bad or dangerous; it just is not as good a choice.

Answered by Steven Teitelbaum, M.D.. F.A.C.S (View Profile)

There are three reasons a few person may still get saline:

-they don't have the money for silicone
-they want to put in enormous implants through small incisions, small areolas, or the armpit
-they have an irrational fear of silicone.

In my opinion, if someone can't afford the relatively small upcharge for silicone, they shouldn't be getting implants at all. Complications can occur; revisions will be needed;

Enormous implants should not be used and slightly larger incisions are inconsequential relative to the benefit of silicone. Large implants stretch skin and thin tissue. Someone with little breast tissue such as yourself least of all should have a large implant. Sometimes patients are committed to an incision around the areola when they have small areolas; yet the data for the underneath incision so far exceeds that with the areola incision that you should be getting the underneath incision anyway.

The data shows that silicone is safe. Yet once or twice a year I see a patient who has read some holistic website that cites heresay and conjecture about silicone being dangerous, and even after learning the facts, still cannot get that worry out of their minds. So these patients may still end up with saline.

The advantages of silicone are great; less rippling; less stretch, better feel; better appearance. All of these become more important the less breast tissue a patient has. With little breast tissue implants like the Allergan 410 and the Sientra 107 use more cohesive gel and are much less prone to rippling than other implants.

But to answer your question: saline is okay. It is not bad or dangerous; it just is not as good a choice.

Published on Jul 11, 2012


Don R. Revis, Jr., M.D, F.A.C.S

Published on Mar 01, 2016

Good morning,

It is possible to achieve a natural look with saline, but it is easier and more reliably created with silicone!

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Answered by Don R. Revis, Jr., M.D, F.A.C.S

Good morning,

It is possible to achieve a natural look with saline, but it is easier and more reliably created with silicone!

Published on Jul 11, 2012


More About Doctor Tom Pousti, M.D.

Published on Sep 01, 2015

Thank you for your question.
This will be better answered by your surgeon after he/she performs the physical examination.
There are many patients in my practice who start off with little breast tissue (but enough) and proceed with saline implants and are pleased with their results.
Communicate with your surgeon.
Best wishes for a result you will be pleased with.

Answered by Tom Pousti, M.D. (View Profile)

Thank you for your question.
This will be better answered by your surgeon after he/she performs the physical examination.
There are many patients in my practice who start off with little breast tissue (but enough) and proceed with saline implants and are pleased with their results.
Communicate with your surgeon.
Best wishes for a result you will be pleased with.

Published on Jul 11, 2012


Steely Plastic Surgery

Published on Aug 31, 2015

Hard to say without an exam, but it is important to note that saline implants in women with very little breast tissue have a high incidence of visible rippling and a less than natural feel.

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Answered by Steely Plastic Surgery

Hard to say without an exam, but it is important to note that saline implants in women with very little breast tissue have a high incidence of visible rippling and a less than natural feel.

Published on Jul 11, 2012


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