Breast implants

What is silicone?

Silicone is a chemical element that occurs in nature. It is in fact the most abundant element deep inside the earth. In different combinations it forms sand, stone and glass. Silicones are plastic materials or “polymers”. These are complex, man-made substances containing silicone, oxygen and other chemical elements. Depending on their structure, silicones can be liquid, gels or solid. For the last 50 years silicones have been a firm component of the consumer industry. Since they can be manufactured in different ways, they are present in may different products of everyday use such as hair sprays, sun protection lotions and moisture creams. These are just some of the consumer products containing one form of silicone, i.e. dimethicone. Silicone is regarded as one of the most suitable materials for implants in the human body. Silicones are used in medicinal products, drugs and for food processing.