There are two types of implants that can be used for aesthetic testicular enhancement. Both provide volume but do so with different characteristics that does affect the aesthetic outcome. In the spirit of the old adage whose origin comes from the advertising world, ‘One Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words’ those differences are visually apparent.
The most apparent difference in this picture is that solid silicone testicle implants are softer than saline-filled ones. Even a much silicone implant can be compressed further than a small saline one. This reflects the difference between water under pressure vs a solid gel like material. This is the one consistent implant feature dissatisfaction that all saline implant patients say…it feels too hard and unnatural.
The next visually apparent difference is size. While both saline and silicone implants offer similar normal sizes, silicone has not only larger normal sizes but any size beyond that can be custom made. Many patients that seek testicular enhancement with no prior implant history or those that seek replacement of their existing implants opt for sizes between 6.0 and 7.5cms…far beyond what saline implants can achieve.
The one other important differences that can not be seen is the potential for implant failure. Like a saline-filled breast implant a saline-filled testicle has the potential for eventual device failure…meaning the containment shell can develop a tear/hole and the implant deflates. Exact long-term device failure rates of saline testicoe implants can never be known exactly but suffice it to say it is not zero…which is what it is for a solid silicone testicle implant.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana