Material is one of the largest single levers on price within an augmentation-only procedure — roughly a $1,000–$1,800 spread from saline to gummy bear, based on the sources below.
| Material | Total cost range |
|---|---|
| Saline | $5,100 – $10,700 |
| Silicone | $5,800 – $11,500 |
| Cohesive Gel ("Gummy Bear") | $6,800 – $12,500 |
Filled with sterile saltwater after insertion — the incision can be smaller since the implant is inserted empty. If it ruptures, the body harmlessly absorbs the saline and the deflation is immediately obvious.
Pre-filled with cohesive silicone gel — widely considered the most natural feel of the three. Rupture is often "silent" (no obvious symptom), which is why the FDA recommends periodic MRI screening.
A firmer, form-stable cohesive gel that holds its shape even if the shell is cut — the most expensive tier, requires a slightly longer incision than saline for insertion.
The device cost itself accounts for most of the differential — cohesive/gummy-bear implants use more advanced manufacturing (a stable internal gel matrix) and typically carry a higher per-pair device cost than saline shells, which are the simplest and cheapest to manufacture. The surgical technique and OR time is similar across all three materials for a standard augmentation, so the cost delta tracks the device, not the procedure.
Based on ASPS, CareCredit, and RealSelf data · Last checked August 2026 · Full methodology →
Saline runs $5,100–$10,700 total, silicone $5,800–$11,500 — the gap tracks the device cost, since silicone's more advanced manufacturing (a pre-filled, cohesive gel) carries a higher per-pair price than a saline shell.
Cohesive gel ("gummy bear") implants run $6,800–$12,500, the highest of the three tiers. They hold their shape even if the shell is cut, which some patients and surgeons prefer, but the surgical technique and outcome quality is comparable across all three materials for most candidates — it's a preference and cost tradeoff, not a safety tradeoff.
Not materially — the surgical technique and OR time is similar across saline, silicone, and gummy bear for a standard augmentation. Material does affect how rupture presents: saline deflation is obvious, silicone rupture can be silent and is why the FDA recommends periodic MRI screening.
Yes, but only via a separate revision surgery with its own surgeon's fee, anesthesia, and facility cost — material choice isn't something you can change without another operation.
PlasticSurgeryCostCalc