Differences between silicone and saline begin at their respective points of origin. Saline is defined as water containing any amount of salt, making sea water saline by nature. No additional chemicals or processing are required. Pure silicone is not found in nature. The material is mixed with various levels of oxygen, creating silica products such as sand, quartz and glass. Silicone combinations are the second-most common substance on earth, found on 75 percent of the earth's crust.
Silicone has a variety of uses, according to the Silicones Environmental, Health and Safety Council of North America. Within the construction industry it is used as a sealant and adhesive. Transportation, rubber and electronics industries all use the silicone. Saline, however, is currently used by the food industry as a preservative. Silicone and saline are also both used in the health care industry: Artificial limbs are constructed from silicone, while saline intravenous drips help patients stay hydrated.
Long before people used salt for flavor enhancement, ancient Egyptians used salt and saline to preserve fish. It was also used in the mummification process. Romans loved salt so much they used saline as a salad dressing. At one point, salt and its derivatives were considered a large portion of royal wealth.
Silicone wasn't used in mainstream industries until 1940, when studies from a Harvard scientist named Eugene G. Rochow started the production of commercial grade silicone.
One of the most common uses for saline and silicone were for breast implant fillers. Patients sometimes complain, however, that implants filled with saline do not look or feel natural. Silicone filler supposedly gives implants a softer, more realistic feel. Some patients experience complications not associated with saline, including capsular contracture, or a hardening of breast tissue surrounding the implant. In 1991, courts ruled that silicone implants place patients at risk for autoimmune diseases, which cause the body to attack its own cells. Patients age 18 to 21 are only allowed to request saline breast implants, unless they are undergoing surgery for breast reconstruction, according to the Mayo Clinic. Patients age 22 and older may request either filler type.