Silicone technology for the plastic surgeon.

There is a considerable misconception regarding the properties of silicone gels and envelopes among plastic surgeons. This is partly due to the counterintuitive characteristics of this unique material. The material is relatively weak as rubbers go, its deformation characteristics are time-related, and its permeability varies with the substance involved. Closed capsular rupture should be performed with caution; current prostheses are not designed as a drug delivery system and should never be used as such.