Breast Implants

Breast augmentation with implants is one of the most commonly requested aesthetic surgeries. Deciding what type of breast implant is best for a patient will depend on many factors, including their aesthetic preferences, skin elasticity, and bodily proportions. Patients may want to know what kind of implant is the “best”, but truthfully, each implant has its own unique benefits. In this day and age, there are many different implant choices that allow breast surgery to be specifically tailored to each patient.

At Austin Plastic Surgeon, our team is highly skilled and experienced in breast enhancement procedures. We offer saline, silicone, and “gummy bear” implants so that patients have different options to choose from when considering their new look. If you are looking to enhance the appearance of your breasts with implants, contact one of our offices to set up an appointment today:

You may also reach out to us by filling out our contact form.

About Breast Implants

When considering breast augmentation with implants, patients often desire devices that will give them more natural-looking results. Luckily, there are several new additions to the breast implant family that make it much easier for your Austin Plastic Surgeon to help you achieve a natural, full appearance from your breast augmentation.

Saline Implants

Saline implants have a silicone shell but are filled with a saltwater solution. Your surgeon can fill the saline implant during the procedure to customize the size of the breast. Saline implants are a good option for breast augmentation but it is important to keep in mind that saline implants will always be firmer and put the patient more at risk of rippling of the breast tissue. These factors make saline implants a somewhat less popular option. However, saline implants are beneficial because if they deflate or leak, you will be able to notice the difference – one breast will appear smaller than the other. This means you would know when you would have to go into the office to get it replaced. Additionally, your body will absorb the saline without any problems. ⁽¹⁾

Silicone Implants

Silicone implants have become very popular since they were introduced to the market in 2006. ⁽²⁾ This may be because silicone implants tend to look and feel more natural. Like saline implants, they also have a silicone outer shell but are filled with silicone gel instead of salt water. Silicone implants tend to cause less rippling than saline implants. However, it is harder to tell when a silicone implant ruptures; the breast does not change shape even after the silicone implant leaks.⁽²⁾

Gummy Bear Implants

More recently, highly cohesive gel implants, also called “gummy bear” implants, were introduced. These kinds of implants consist of silicone gel that stays together and is thicker than the previous generations of silicone implants. If the implant has a leak, the gel inside the implant is more apt to stay together. These implants are also less prone to rippling. The thicker gel consistency may also make the implant more resistant to tearing or leaking. ⁽²⁾ The beauty of the innovation is that the gel is more cohesive, but still very soft in feel and appearance.

Motiva 6th Generation Silicone Implants

We offer Motiva 6th generation implants at Austin Plastic Surgeon to provide our patients the option of the most advanced implant design technology. These implants have smooth silk surfaces thanks to the three-dimensional imprinting and TrueMonobloc® technology used to construct them. They are 100% filled with a more cohesive gel that makes them less likely to ripple or cause capsular contracture, while still maintaining more elasticity. Patients have the option of either Ergonomix or round implants; both implants look and feel very natural, but Ergonomic implants maintain more of a natural softness, while the round implants help patients achieve more stable fullness in the upper breast.

Considerations

The various breast implant choices can be overwhelming; for most patients, there is not one perfect answer. These silicone-shelled breast implants are all likely to lend a soft, yet full appearance to the breasts. Several factors are important to keep in mind when choosing a breast implant that will create natural-looking results:

While it is ultimately the decision of the patient, our surgeons advise all of our patients that they should try to aim to choose a breast size that they will feel most comfortable with–whether they are dressing up for a night on the town, or dressing down for work.

Teardrop vs. Round Silicone Implants

We tend to use teardrop-shaped implants for either breast reconstruction or for patients who are thinner, as they create a more natural slope of the breast. These implants are also good for patients who are interested in getting a bigger size but still want to avoid an unnatural appearance. When using a small implant, however, the differences between shaped and round implants are very small.

That being said, when using a silicone gel implant, the overall result will tend to look more natural even if it is round, so a teardrop-shaped implant may not be necessary. Your board-certified plastic surgeon will help you pick the most effective implant shape for your breast augmentation.

Textured vs. Smooth Implants

Shaped implants should always be textured, as this texture will help keep the implant in position. ⁽²⁾ Implants placed above the muscle should also be textured, as it helps decrease the scar tissue that will form around the implant. Textured implants have not shown any proven benefits when they are placed below the muscle, so the decision to choose textured or smooth implants in this situation is often based on the surgeon’s preference.

Smooth implants can usually be placed in the breast through a smaller incision than their textured counterparts. They also tend to have a softer feel after the breast augmentation is complete. Smooth implants are capable of a little movement in the breast pocket, which also gives them a more natural feel and appearance.

It is important to discuss the various types of breast implants with your board-certified plastic surgeon to determine which choice is right for you. We will help guide you during your breast augmentation process toward an implant that will meet your specific needs.

Benefits

Patients who receive breast implants can enjoy many benefits, such as:

Candidates

If you are currently unhappy with the look or feel of your breasts, you may be eligible for a breast augmentation procedure. Breast implants are a great way to restore volume to breasts that have suffered from significant volume loss. We ask that all of our candidates have realistic expectations regarding what breast implants are capable of. If you are getting saline implants, you must be 18 years of age or older. If you are getting silicone or gummy bear implants, however, you must be at least 22. ⁽²⁾ It is preferable that candidates are in good physical health and are not pregnant or breastfeeding. Candidates can also have asymmetrical breasts–the implants can be customized to fit a wide range of breast sizes. If you are unsure about whether or not you would be eligible to receive breast implants, you should first attend a personal consultation before ruling the option out.

Personal Consultation

During your personal consultation, our staff at Austin Plastic Surgeon will make sure you receive important information about what happens during a breast implant procedure. They will also let you know what type of implant might be best for your breasts. They will assess various different factors to determine a procedural route, including the elasticity of the skin, as well as the degree of sagging or volume loss that is present. This will help your surgeon determine what size of implant will be most effective for you and provide the most natural results.

To schedule your personal consultation, please call the Austin Plastic Surgeon office that is most convenient for you:

You can also ask about a personal consultation by filling out our contact form.

Results

The final results of a breast augmentation procedure are apparent when patients have fully healed and recovered, which is usually after around 3 months. After a breast implant procedure, patients can enjoy long-lasting results of fuller, more youthful-looking breasts. The results will appear to be more natural, thanks to the precise sizing and shaping carried out by our plastic surgeons.

While results are long-lasting, they are not permanent; patients will need to get their implants replaced after about 10-15 years. ⁽²⁾ No matter what implants patients choose, we make it our goal to deliver a positive experience and results that the patient is happy with. Results may differ across the different types of implants; some implants create firmer results than others. The results of a breast implant procedure can be affected if a patient loses or gains a significant amount of weight, which is why it is important to be at a stable weight before the procedure.

Cost of Breast Implants in Austin

The cost of your breast implants will vary depending on the type of implant you move forward with, as well as the shape or size that will work best for your breasts. We list cost estimates for different procedures on our plastic surgery pricing page. However, for our team to provide you with a more personalized cost estimate, you will need to attend a personal consultation at one of our offices:

Give us a call, or fill out our contact form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

References

1. Patel BC, Wong CS, Wright T, Schaffner AD. Breast Implants. PubMed. Published 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441998/
2. Fardo D, Sequeira Campos M, Pensler JM. Breast Augmentation. PubMed. Published 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482206/