Breast Implant Design

• Implant Type
• Texture
• Implant Shape
• Size

Implant Type

Saline

• Feel firmer
• Visible rippling seen if sub-glandular (under the breast) or laterally if sub-pectoral (under the pectoral muscle)
• Deflation 2% Saline is absorbed
• Capsular contraction slightly less
• Maintains body temperature.

Silicone Gel

• Feel more natural
• No rippling
• Rupture, usually intra-capsular 0.1%-0. 5%
• Slightly more capsular contraction
• After swimming in cold water, maintains cold feel until re-warmed by circulation.

Implant Texture

Smooth

• Visible rippling may be reduced
• Softer feel
• Less palpable in women with thinner breast tissue
• Greater risk of capsular contraction
• Moves more freely in the breast pocket.

Rough (Textured)

• Thicker shell
• May be palpable, if little breast tissue present
• Allows some tissue adherence into the surface, reducing the risk of capsular contraction
• Moves less freely.

Implant Shape

Round

• Totally round
• Makes upper part of breast fuller
• Various degrees of projection available, i.e. low (3.9cm), medium and high profiles (5cm) for the same size implant.
• More universal
• A wider, flatter round implant will look like a tear-drop once in a patient
• If rotation occurs, no change in shape will be evident.

Anatomical

• Thicker shell
• Shaped more like a tear-drop, resembling the natural shape of the breast
• Less fullness superiorly
• Combination of height, width and projection available. Both height and projection can be low, moderate or full. Width changes with implant size.
• Indicated when there is little to no breast tissue and if you do not like the round look
• Risk of rotation. Some articles quote 3-4% others, 15-20%. This gives a very unnatural appearance and will need to be removed and replaced with round implants.

Size

For a natural look breasts need to be in proportion with the overall shape of the body. Not only bra size (i.e. from a 3A to a full 3B or C) needs to be considered, but also the width of the breasts as this will determine the cleavage and the outer curve of the breasts.

Implant size is limited by the elasticity of the skin and the amount of breast tissue present.

Sizing is done prior to surgery using sample implants of varying sizes wearing a crop top over your own breasts. This is not ideal, but does give an indication as to what look is desired. During surgery a sizer can be used to determine what size implant closely matches this look.

Taking all the above considerations into account the size chosen plus one below and one above, will be available in theatre.