Is your idea of the perfect weekend relaxing with a book on the couch? Or do spend as much time as possible outdoors, leading an athletic lifestyle? These are issues you should consider when choosing breast implants for breast augmentation, which consistently ranks as the top procedure in the United States, with nearly 300,000 augmentations performed each year.
Despite being so common, breast augmentation is not a one-size-fits-all procedure, and I tailor my surgical plan to match each patient’s anatomy, aesthetic ideals, and lifestyle. Selecting the perfect implant can seem overwhelming with so many choices on the market.
What Type of Breast Implant Is Best?
The type of breast implant that’s best for you depends on personal preference. Breast implants can first be divided based on the filler material: saline or silicone gel. Saline implants are filled with a saltwater solution that is biocompatible—meaning the body harmlessly absorbs it if there’s a leak. Within the category of silicone implants are various levels of cohesiveness. Highly cohesive breast implants are sometimes called “gummy bear” implants because the gel’s consistency is similar to gummy bear candy. Each implant type has advantages and disadvantages.
Saline implants:
- Are more affordable
- Show ruptures and leaks immediately
- Can be placed with a smaller incision.
Cohesive silicone gel implants are:
- Lighter than saline
- Look and feel more like natural breasts
- Less prone to rippling (visible folds seen through the skin)
- More cohesive, meaning hold their shape, which facilitates more fullness at the top of the breast.
Are Round or Teardrop Implants Better?
Round implants are most commonly used in aesthetic patients as they add volume and fullness directly behind the central portion of the breast mound to give more projection and a pushup-bra look. Anatomically shaped implants—shaped like a teardrop—are rarely used except for breast reconstruction patients following cancer surgery.
How Do I Choose the Right Breast Implant Size?
This is the question most of our breast augmentation patients ask. And it’s a great question to ask. Some patients have a specific size in mind because they love a friend’s or family member’s results. But the same size implants may produce less satisfying results if your body’s frame is different.
This is also when you want to consider your lifestyle. If you’re a runner or enjoy playing competitive sports, for example, larger implants may interfere with the enjoyment you get from those activities.
When it comes to breast implant sizes, Dr. Hill uses 3 different variables:
- Implant size: The number of cc of fill material in the implant
- Implant profile: How far the implant projects from the chest wall for a given volume
- Base diameter: Diameter of the breast implant
Dr. Hill typically matches the diameter of the implant with the width of a patient’s chest in order to find the optimal fit. This process allows proper cleavage and upper-pole fullness of the breast mound without having too wide of an implant resulting in excess implant off the chest wall. He can then adjust the profile of the implant in order to match a patient’s ideal aesthetic to give the perfect look.
Take a look at our patients’ breast augmentation before-and-after photos to see the type of results this process creates.
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Finding Your Best Fit
When it comes to finding your best fit, do your homework. While research is helpful for deciding your breast augmentation goals, a one-on-one consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon will help answer questions and find your ideal look.
Dr. Hill is a popular board-certified plastic surgeon who is a published author and public speaker on the topic of current trends in breast augmentation. His knowledge can help guide patients toward selecting the ideal implant for their lifestyle and aesthetic goals.
If you’d like to enhance your shape with breast implants in the Frisco, TX, area, use our online form to request a consultation or call us at (214) 937-4879. We look forward to meeting with you soon!
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