How Much Do Silicone Breast Implants Cost? Tri Valley Plastic Surgery

Silicone implants generally run a bit more than saline, often a few hundred to around a thousand dollars more per implant, since the gel-filled device itself costs more to manufacture and each manufacturer (Mentor, Allergan, Sientra) prices its silicone line slightly above its saline line. The bigger driver of your total bill isn't implant type though, it's surgeon fee, anesthesia, and facility cost, which vary by region and by the surgeon's experience. In the Bay Area, total breast augmentation cost spans a fairly wide range depending on those factors. Silicone implants feel and drape more like natural tissue, which is why most patients choose them despite the modest upcharge. One thing worth knowing: silicone implants don't show a leak the way saline does, so the FDA recommends periodic ultrasound or MRI screening starting a few years after surgery to check for silent rupture. That imaging cost isn't part of your surgery fee but is worth budgeting for down the road. For an accurate number, get a quote from a board-certified plastic surgeon after an in-person consultation and exam.