Silicone breast implants, along with saline implants, are the most common way for women to augment their natural breast size. The implants, also known as silicone gel implants or silicone breast prostheses, were invented by the Dow Corning Corporation in 1961. This is also the first year silicone implants were placed into a human body. Since then, science has made many advancements in the look, feel and safety of silicone breast implants.

The first silicone breast implants consisted of a thick silicone rubber packet filled with even thicker silicone gel. By the early 1970s, researchers had already found ways to make the implants with thinner gel and shells. However, these so-called “second generation” implants had a greater tendency to rupture and collapse, spreading silicone into the breast tissue. Even when they didn’t rupture, silicone was sometimes able to bleed through the envelope into the body. To counteract these effects, manufacturers began coating the silicone shells with polyurethane foam. Polyurethane coated breast implants were removed from the U.S. market after it was discovered that the coating broke down into carcinogens. These silicone implants are still made in Europe and South America.

Another type of second generation silicone breast implant is the “double lumen” style implant. These implants have a silicone-filled packet either patched to or floating freely inside a saline-filled envelope. The silicone lumen provides the majority of the size increase while the saline lumen allows for fine tuning in size after placement. The failure rate for double lumen implants is higher than that for other types of implants, though newer iterations of the implants are commonly used for breast reconstruction rather than augmentation. Around 1985, silicone breast implants with thicker shells, improved gel, and elastomer barrier coatings were introduced on the market.

Third generation silicone breast implants began development in the early 1990s. This generation of implants contains a more cohesive gel, so that the implants are less likely to rupture. Currently in use in many countries, the implants are being considered for FDA approval in the United States. They appear to be safer than first and second generation silicone breast implants, but their failure rates are not known for certain. A fourth generation silicone implant is also on the market. This type of implant, also known as a “gummy bear” implant, contains highly cohesive gel that retains its shape and size better and longer than previous silicone implants. The gummy bear implant is also less likely to rupture.

Breast implants are the only proven effective way to enhance the size and change the shape of your breasts. If you are considering silicone breast implants, be aware that the safety record of the newer generations is not completely established, and older implants can be dangerous. Further, silicone breast implants can decrease in size by up to 40% over the course of their placement in you.

When silicone breast implants were first created, they were not regulated by any government agencies anywhere. Eventually, however, questions about the implants’ safety caused the national governments of the United States and Canada to ban widespread use of silicone breast implants of any type. These days, in both countries, surgeons must request permission from their national health agencies to use silicone breast implants and even then, they may only do so under special circumstances.

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