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by Robert Valdes

Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this How Stuff Works article:

Valdes, Robert. "How Breast Implants Work." 01 July 2004. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://health.howstuffworks.com/breast-implant.htm> 10 October 2008.

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Breast Implant Basics

Breast implants are small, medical-grade sacs comprised of an elastomer shell with a self-sealing filling valve located on either the front or back. Breast implants are filled with silicone gel or a sterile saline solution (salt water).

Photo courtesy ImplantInfo.com
This photo demonstrates the difference between high profile and standard saline implants.

Some implants are pre-filled, but most are filled after surgery. It's this filling that blows the implant up like a water balloon to increase breast size. Saline implants are the most common type of implant used today due to the FDA's ban on the use of silicone breast implants in the United States in 1992 (although silicone implants are still available in certain circumstances -- see the Controversy section).

Breast implants come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The size of breast implants is measured in cubic centimeters (ccs), and they increase the size of a woman's breasts one cup size every 175 to 200 ccs.

Photo courtesy ImplantInfo.com
Breast implants come in a variety of sizes.

Generally, implants come in three sizes, and the size of the implant that is used depends on the patient's desired outcome and the size breasts that their physical frame can support. Choosing a breast implant that is too large can cause surgical complications or make the implant visible through the skin after the surgery.

In the next section, we'll look at some of the special features of breast implants.

Silicon Silicon (Si) is the 14th element on the periodic table. It is a common metalloid that comprises over a quarter of the earth's crust and has numerous commercial uses, appearing in such things as computer chips, polymers, plastics, and medicinal devices. The silicone gel used in breast implants was developed by General Electric for industrial applications and is a mixture of oxygen and silicon.

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