There are many options including implant fill (saline of silicone), with silicone there is also the degree of cohesiveness or "gumminess" of the fill as well as the percentage of fill (same as with saline, filled in OR rather tan pre filled by manufacturer), total volume (ccs of implant) and profile (low to high). All of these factors should be taken into consideration during at least one if not two consultation sessions with your plastic surgeon to help optimize your outcome according to your expectations.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Silicone is the most widely selected implant material due to being more natural-looking and feeling. As for avoiding a rounded look, this has much to do with your anatomy, the profile and base style you have chosen, and the placement in the pocket. Your plastic surgeon of choice should be able to provide his/her expert recommendations which are in line with your surgical goals. In general, I would say to avoid a high-profile implant or going too large.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

I typically recommend a smooth, round implant to be placed under the muscle. They tend to look very natural and settle nicely.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

To achieve a more natural look and feel, I'd recommend silicone high profile.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Natural appearance is obtained by placement under the muscle and not going so large, which stretches and thins covering tissue.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Lower profile implants, such as moderate or moderate plus profiles, will not have as much superior fullness and may reduce the round appearance on the upper portion of your breasts. Another available option is contour-shaped implants.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Thank you for your question. Silicone gel implants will always give the patient a much more natural look and feel. Cohesive gel feels like your own natural breast tissue, while saline implants are nothing more than salt and water, which can feel like a water balloon inside the body. Both implants measure out the exact same in terms of safety, but silicone is always the gold standard in implants today due to the look and feel they provide.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Shaped silicone implants are great to achieve a more natural-looking result. The tear drop appearance provides a natural breast contour.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Thank you for the question. There is no accurate/reliable/predictable correlation between size/profile breast implant utilized and cup size achieved. Online consultants will not be able to provide you with specific enough advice to be truly helpful. Ultimately, careful communication of your goals (in my practice I prefer the use of goal pictures, direct examination/communication in front of a full-length mirror, and computer imaging) will be critical.

Generally speaking, the best online advice I can give to ladies who are considering breast augmentation surgery ( regarding breast implant size/profile selection) is:

1. Concentrate on choosing your plastic surgeon carefully. Concentrate on appropriate training, certification, and the ability of the plastic surgeon to achieve the results you are looking for. Ask to see lots of examples of his/her work.

2. Have a full discussion and communication regarding your desired goals with your plastic surgeon. This communication will be critical in determining breast implant size/type/profile will most likely help achieve your goals.

In my practice, the use of photographs of “goal” pictures (and breasts that are too big or too small) is very helpful. For example, I have found that the use of words such as “natural big C cup” etc means different things to different people and therefore prove unhelpful.

Also, as you know, cup size varies depending on him who makes the bra; therefore, discussing desired cup size may also be inaccurate. Again, the use of computer imaging has been very helpful during the communication process, in our practice.

3. Once you feel you have communicated your goals clearly, allow your plastic surgeon to use his/her years of experience/judgment to choose the breast implant size/profile that will best meet your goals. Again, in my practice, this decision is usually made during surgery, after the use of temporary intraoperative sizers.

I hope this helps. Best wishes for an outcome that you will be very pleased with.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

The choice of which type of breast implant to use is a very common one. There are advantages and disadvantages with both, so it's very important for you to sit down with your plastic surgeon and discuss everything in detail.

The short answer is they are both safe options. Silicone implants have a silicone shell and are filled with a cohesive silicone gel. Saline implants also have a silicone shell, but are filled with saline.

In my view, the advantage of a saline implant is that you need a smaller incision during surgery (about 3 cm or just over an inch) and if it does leak, you will know (the breast will flatten as your body absorbs the saline) and so you will be able to have it replaced.

The disadvantage to saline implants is that in some patients, especially very thin ones or if they are placed above your pectoralis muscle, they can show some rippling or folds of the implant wall.

Silicone implants have the advantage of a much more natural look and feel, even in thin patients and even in cases where we place the implants above the muscle.

The disadvantage is that you need a slightly longer incision to introduce the implant (4- 4.5 cm in most cases) and you often will not know if it leaks or ruptures. This is why the implant companies recommend an MRI of the breast every couple of years to view the implant to rule out a leak. For many women, this is a minor inconvenience for the superior look and feel that silicone implants offer.
In the end, for most patients we can achieve a very nice, safe result with either option, so the choice is truly yours.

Good luck :)

Published on Jul 11, 2012

The breast implants, unless you are having an anatomical implant, will just project your shape forward. Luckily there are practices that offer imaging that really shows how even different breast implants from the different manufacturers and volumes and shapes will look on you. It is also possible for the patient to send in a photo and have the imaging done and sent back within a short period of time.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

The type of breast implant that would be most natural depends on your breast measurement and body type. Usually, women who are thin or have a narrow chest wall will opt to have high profile implants so that they do not end up close to the armpits. If you have a broader chest wall, a moderate profile implant may be more appropriate. Make sure to look at the plastic surgeon's before and after photos to find body and breast shapes that are close to yours and the type of implants used in order to decide on the "look" you want. There are also shaped implants that are not round in shape but rather more elliptical or "tear-shaped" ---these are also referred to as anatomical shaped implants. Some of my patients opt for these implants as they do not look completely round. However, if you have lost breast tissue in the upper pole of your breast, these implants will not create fullness at the top of your breast. I hope that this helps in your decision.

Published on Jul 11, 2012