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The only way to know exactly what type (and size) of implants are right for you is to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon. However, at the same time, it’s important to have an idea of what you want before you walk into a surgeon’s office. If you do, you can give your surgeon the information he or she needs to develop a personalized treatment plan that accurately reflects your cosmetic goals.

Breast implants are artificial devices used to change the size, shape, and contour of a person’s breasts. They are commonly used in breast augmentation procedures to enhance the appearance of the breasts, helping individuals regain confidence and a sense of normalcy. Additionally, breast implants play a crucial role in breast reconstruction for patients who have undergone a mastectomy due to breast cancer. This process helps restore the breast’s appearance and is different from breast augmentation, which is typically sought by healthy individuals looking to change their breast appearance.

Understanding Breast Implants

Breast implants are artificial devices surgically inserted into the breasts to alter their shape, size, or contour. They play a crucial role in both reconstructive plastic surgery and cosmetic breast augmentation surgery. For women who have undergone a mastectomy, breast implants can restore a natural-looking breast, helping them regain confidence and a sense of normalcy. They are also used to correct congenital defects and deformities of the chest wall.

Breast implants consist of a silicone shell filled with either saline solution or silicone gel. The choice between saline and silicone gel fillers can significantly impact the outcome of the surgery. Silicone gel implants are known for their natural feel and appearance, closely mimicking the texture of real breast tissue. On the other hand, saline implants are filled with a sterile saltwater solution, which can be adjusted even after insertion, offering flexibility in achieving the desired breast size.

Defining Your Breast Augmentation Objectives

Before you can work with your surgeon to select the best breast implants for you, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to get out of surgery. Women have many different reasons for pursuing breast augmentation; usually, they want one or more of the following cosmetic problems corrected:

• They feel that their breasts are too small. While there is, of course, absolutely nothing wrong with having small breasts, sometimes women who have curvaceous hips and thighs feel that their small breasts are not proportional with the rest of their body. If this is the case, breast augmentation surgery is the perfect way to create an hourglass figure for the woman in question.

• They have lost breast volume due to breastfeeding or the effects of menopause. Decreased breast volume is a common side effect of both of the aforementioned life changes. Fortunately, breast augmentation can restore the breasts to their prior size and shape. However, if you’re in this situation, you should be aware that you almost certainly also require a breast lift. Ask your plastic surgeon about the possibility of having combined lift-augmentation surgery. An experienced surgeon should be able to conduct both of these procedures at once, saving you money and cutting down on your total healing time.

• They don’t like the shape of their breasts. While the media has inundated us with images of round, pert, and basically symmetrical breasts, such breasts are the exception—not the rule. Many women have breasts that are more oblong in shape than round, even before they have had children or experienced the effects of aging. Because most breast implant types are quite round, inserting them into oblong breasts can produce a more pleasing shape.

Breast unevenness is also extremely common; in fact, up to a full cup size of difference between breasts is considered perfectly normal from a medical perspective. However, no matter how natural this condition is, it still troubles many women affected by it. These women often decide to get both of their breasts augmented, but ask their surgeon to use a larger implant in their smaller breast, thereby eliminating the size discrepancy between their breasts. Additionally, it’s important to be aware that breast pain can be a potential complication of breast augmentation, along with other issues like rashes and infection.

Choosing a Breast Implant Size

When choosing a breast implant size, forget asking for a certain cup size. Cup sizes are not standardized and vary greatly between different band sizes and even different bra brands. To really get a sense of what implant volume (which is measured in CC) is right for you, you’ll need to request a few different “sizers” from your plastic surgeon. Insert the sizers into a bra, then try on your favorite outfits. When you have found a size that you think looks flattering, try wearing it for at least a few hours (and try exercising in it, too). This will give you a realistic idea of what it will be like to carry that much additional weight on your chest. If you find yourself struggling to adjust to the sizers, go down a size.

And, one final note on size: If you have very small natural breasts, you probably won’t be able to have large implants inserted right away. You’ll need to start with smaller implants, give your skin and breast tissue time to adapt, then have larger implants inserted.

Deciding Between Saline and Silicone Breast Implants

Research reveals that fully eighty-four percent of women now opt to have silicone gel implants inserted (rat