Types of Breast Implants: Which is Right for You?

When considering breast augmentation, women are faced with a wide array of options when it comes to breast implants. With so many types of breast implants, how do you know which is right for you? Understanding the differences among implant types, as well as their risks and benefits, can help you more clearly define how to successfully achieve your breast augmentation goals.

 At Defyne, we understand that every patient—and every pair of breasts—is unique. That’s why we offer several enhancement options, including traditional breast augmentation, our proprietary True Shape Breast Augmentation, or a customized combination of both. 

Our board-certified plastic surgeons will work with you to create your personalized approach to breast augmentation. Schedule your consultation today and take the first step.

What is Breast Augmentation and How is it Done?

Each year in the United States, around 300,000 women elect to receive breast augmentation. This cosmetic surgery increases the size and improves the contours of the female breast, utilizing a range of options, depending on the desired result. It’s important to know that not all breast augmentation options produce equal outcomes. Let’s break down the differences.

Types of Breast Implants

Breast implants are considered medical devices and, as such, are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and subject to safety evaluations. These implants are a variety of sizes, shapes, and materials and can increase breast size, enhance shape, or restore volume. They are placed either behind the breast tissue or beneath the chest muscle during breast augmentation surgery.

The following are four different types of breast implants:

Silicone Breast Implants

Silicone gel-filled breast implants have a silicone outer shell that is filled with silicone gel. They come in different sizes and have either smooth or textured shells.

Silicone gel-filled breast implants are approved for breast augmentation in women aged 22 or older and for breast reconstruction in women of any age. They are also used in revision surgeries, which correct or improve the result of an original surgery.

Saline Breast Implants

Saline breast implants feature a silicone outer shell that is filled with a sterile saltwater (saline) solution. Depending on the design, some implants are pre‑filled before surgery, while others are filled to the desired volume during the procedure. Like silicone implants, saline options come in various sizes and are available with either smooth or textured surfaces.

The FDA permits saline‑filled implants for cosmetic breast augmentation in women aged 18 and older, and they may be used for breast reconstruction at any age. They are also commonly chosen for revision procedures aimed at correcting or enhancing the results of earlier surgeries.

Cohesive Gel Breast Implants

Cohesive gel implants—often called “gummy bear” implants—are a type of silicone breast implant filled with a highly cross‑linked, form‑stable silicone gel. Highly cohesive implants are typically firmer to the touch, may require a slightly larger incision for placement, and are often chosen by patients seeking a more defined breast shape or greater projection. 

They are approved for breast augmentation in women 22 and older, reconstruction at any age, and revision surgeries.

Motiva Breast Implants

Motiva breast implants are a newer generation of silicone gel implants designed to offer a more natural feel, improved safety features, and enhanced durability. They use a highly cohesive silicone gel combined with an elastic, flexible shell, allowing the implant to move more naturally with the body while maintaining shape. 

Motiva implants received FDA approval in September 2024 for breast augmentation in women 22 and older. They are the first new breast implants to receive U.S. premarket approval since 2013. Motiva is not yet FDA-approved for breast reconstruction.

Breast Implant Shape and Texture Options 

Breast implants come in a few different shapes and textures:

• Round implants: less likely to rotate out of place, create a fuller appearance
• Teardrop implants: also called anatomical breast implants, these create a more subtle, natural contour
• Smooth: softer, with more natural movement
• Textured: helps scar tissue develop to maintain position, less likely to have rippling under the skin than smooth implants

Risks and Benefits of Each Type of Breast Implant

Like any medical device, breast implants come with both risks and benefits. Your board-certified plastic surgeon can discuss these with you, as well as any unique factors that affect potential outcomes, but these are a few important things to know:

Silicone vs. Saline Implants

Silicone gel implants are known for their natural look and feel, closely mimicking the softness of real breast tissue. Because they are available in multiple sizes, shapes, and textures, they are customizable. They are also less prone to less visible rippling than saline implants. Risks of silicone implants include:

• Silent rupture: The cohesive gel may remain within the shell or surrounding tissue. The FDA recommends periodic imaging to screen for rupture.
• Need for future surgeries: Breast implants are not lifetime devices and may need revision or replacement over time.
• Scar tissue: Known as capsular contracture, this happens when the body’s response to the implant causes a capsule that is too tight, causing firmness, discomfort, or changes in breast shape.
• Gel fracture: FDA documentation notes that highly cohesive gel implants have unique considerations, including the possibility of “gel fracture” (a fissure within the gel), which manufacturers are monitoring in long‑term studies.
• Potential for BIA-ALCL: Textured implants carry a small association with Breast Implant–Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA‑ALCL), a rare immune‑related condition.

Saline implants give surgeons flexibility in their filling and may allow for a slightly smaller incision. These implants also come in different sizes and surface textures, offering patients customizable options. Rupture is easier to detect in saline implants, since the implant deflates. Risks of saline implants include:

• Rippling or wrinkling—this is more common than with silicone breast implants.
• Firmer, less natural feel
• Need for future surgeries—like silicone breast implants, saline breast implants are not a lifetime device.
• Textured implant risks—like silicone breast implants, textured saline breast implants carry the risk of BIA-ALCL. 

How Defyne Helps You Choose the Best Breast Implants

At Defyne Plastic Surgery, we can walk you through choosing the best breast implants. We offer two approaches to breast augmentation: traditional breast implant surgery and our minimally invasive breast augmentation. 

1. True Shape Breast Augmentation

This signature Defyne procedure enhances breast volume and shape using Enhanced Viability Fat Transfer (EVFT) and advanced sculpting techniques. This allows us to create natural-looking, personalized results without implants or general anesthesia.

2. Traditional Breast Augmentation

If you’re looking for fuller volume, greater forward projection, or results that rely specifically on breast implants, a traditional breast augmentation procedure may be the most suitable option. Defyne offers four breast implant types: silicone, saline, cohesive gel, and Motiva implants.

With leading-edge, evidence-based, and innovative approaches to aesthetic care, Defyne can offer truly customized breast augmentation results. Ready to take the next step toward shaping your future and feeling your best? Reach out to Defyne today to book your consultation.