Updated for 2019.
Although there are some definite benefits to using saline implants for breast augmentation (like the fact that they can be placed with slightly smaller incisions and are a bit less expensive than their silicone gel counterparts), many women avoid saline implants because they are concerned they might have visible implant rippling.
A common way to minimize the appearance of saline implant wrinkling is to slightly overfill the implant. Is this a good idea in the long run?
The Benefits of Overfilling
Unlike silicone gel implants, saline implants don’t come in set sizes. Instead, implants are approved for use within a (small) range of volumes. Because of this, all manufacturers of saline breasts implants allow for some leeway as far as filling is concerned, and overfilling by up to 10 percent is considered both safe and reasonable.
Slightly overfilling saline implants is a common technique for minimizing implant rippling.
This slight boost in volume can be just enough to make the difference between implant ripples that are visible through the skin after surgery and a smooth, even contour.
Overfilling saline implants is not a solution for adding a significant amount of volume, something that not every woman wants for her augmentation results.
There Is Such a Thing as Too Much
Bigger breast implants aren’t always better, and it’s important to choose implants that are proportionate to your frame and the rest of your body in order to ensure very natural-looking results. More importantly, overfilling implants too much voids the manufacturers’ warranty for use, and is not recommended.
If you’re interested in saline implants but have concerns about implant wrinkles, be sure to check with your surgeon to see if a little overfilling might just be the solution you’re looking for.
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Author: Dr. Francesco Campanile
Board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Dr. Francesco Campanile is a cosmetic surgeon in Denver who is focused on body contouring and breast enhancement. Time and time again, the women and men who choose Dr. Campanile say that they’ve found “the whole package” – a doctor who cares deeply about the quality of their results and has the skill to achieve excellence.
