First used in the 1960s, silicone breast implants provide what millions of women have desired throughout history; a fuller and shapelier chest. Prior attempts to change the size of breasts included fat transplants, paraffin implants and even direct injection of silicone. All of those attempts had fairly predictable results, but the new surgical silicone implant offered both safety (relative) and acceptable results.

Silicone is made by man and has had many uses including lubricants, adhesive sealants, silly putty and gaskets. When used in a breast implant silicone resembles the natural look and feel of real breast tissue. It was an obvious choice when the first breast implants were created.

However, problems with silicone breast implants began to appear in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Thousands of lawsuits left several chemical companies bankrupt and left millions of women reeling from debilitating conditions caused by the silicone. Even though studies failed to show a link between silicone implants and negative health conditions, the FDA banned the use of silicone implants.

Today the United States only allows silicone implants as part of a breast reconstruction or replacement procedure. The FDA is currently testing a new wave of silicone implants but results of the test are still years away. Outside of the US 90% of all breast augmentation surgeries performed still use silicone implants.