Breast augmentation implants are surgical options used to increase the size or improve the shape and symmetry of the breasts. These implants come in various types, shapes, and sizes, typically filled with either silicone gel or saline solution, with additional variations in shape, surface, and fill level.
There is no single implant that can be deemed the best for every woman. The choice depends on the body anatomy, the amount of natural breast tissue, chest width, desired outcomes, and the medically suitable implant type. The FDA emphasizes that discussing goals, expectations, and risks with a plastic surgeon is a crucial part of the decision-making process.
What Are Breast Augmentation Implants?
A breast implant is a medical device placed surgically to increase breast volume or reshape it, containing a filler material inside a silicone outer shell. There are two primary categories: silicone gel-filled and saline solution-filled implants, differing in size, shape, shell surface, and other characteristics.
Types of Breast Implants
Silicone Implants: These contain silicone gel within an outer shell and offer different levels of cohesion, shapes, and sizes. They often mimic the natural breast tissue texture depending on the tissue above the implant and its positioning.
Gummy Bear Implants: Descriptive of highly cohesive silicone implants that retain shape better. Though not necessarily superior, the choice should align with anatomy, desired outcome, and surgical guidance.
Saline Implants: Filled with sterile saline within a silicone shell. Ruptures lead the body to absorb the leaked saline, often resulting in a noticeable decrease in implant size or shrinkage. The FDA notes that ruptures in saline implants can cause volume loss and notable changes in breast appearance.
Differences between Silicone and Saline:
Silicone implants contain gel, while saline ones have a sterile saline solution. Saline ruptures are usually more apparent, showing size loss, whereas silicone ruptures may occur silently without visible change, requiring MRI or ultrasound for detection.
Implant Shapes:
Round Implants: Designed circularly to add fullness, particularly in the upper breast area, suitable with the right size and protrusion choice.
Anatomical Implants: Also known as teardrop implants, fuller at the bottom, offering a natural slope but require precise placements due to potential rotation issues affecting breast shape.
Choosing the Right Implant Size:
Choosing an implant size isn't merely about numbers like 300 or 400 cc; numerous factors need consideration, such as chest width, inherent breast size, skin and tissue thickness, natural tissue coverage, body shape, and the preferred fullness and protrusion level. Each woman may achieve distinctly different results with the same implant size.
Surgical Placement Options:
Implants can be placed at various levels based on patient anatomy, implant type, tissue amount, and aesthetic goal, often beneath the chest muscle or above it, tailored to optimize final breast shape and contour.
Potential Risks:
Despite being commonplace, breast implants carry inherent risks. The FDA lists several potential complications, including pain, infection, scarring, asymmetry, sensation changes, wrinkling, or capsule contracture, among others, alongside requiring possible additional surgeries or implant removal long term.
Consultation Questions for Surgeons:
Before proceeding with breast augmentation, key questions to ask include suitable implant types, size recommendations for your body, appropriate protrusion level, placement strategy, and any potential complications, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the surgery and long-term implications.
Final Thoughts:
Breast implants vary widely, with no universally best option. Proper selection hinges on individualized evaluation by a qualified surgeon, understanding benefits and risks, and planning for aftercare, emphasizing that implants are not lifetime devices, potentially necessitating future interventions.