So, you decided to take the plunge and enhance your breasts. This is an exciting time and a process that should be enjoyed.
While every woman turns to breast augmentation for their own reasons, everyone has the same goal deep down — to feel more confident and beautiful in their body. This is exactly what our team at DFW Center for Aesthetics and Cosmetic Surgery in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, hope for you.
Tailoring Your Breast Augmentation
If you are already at the stage of choosing your implant, you likely already know a bit about the plastic surgery process. As you no doubt know, breast augmentation surgery, or breast enlargement surgery, is a cosmetic procedure that permanently increases the volume and enhances the shape of the breasts.
Breast implant surgery is a relatively easy operation and can often be performed in around one hour with minimal recovery and downtime.
Here, predetermined incisions are made — usually along the breast fold (inframammary fold) or around the areolas — and the implants are situated in the breast pocket.
However, while the procedure is fairly straightforward, the preparation is a tad more extensive.
Planning and tailoring your augmentation to your body is everything, and even a slight change in implant selection can have a major impact on your physique. When choosing the best implants for your body, you should consider three things: your aesthetic desires, your body frame and your lifestyle.
But before we jump into that, let’s first discuss what attributes make up implant selection.
Understanding Your Implant Options: 5 Customizations to Achieve Your Perfect Breasts
Implant Filling Material
Implant material is likely the customization that you are most familiar with. Implants are available in two filling options — although even these can be customized further. These two selections are saline and silicone.
Saline implants are filled with a sterile saline solution. A benefit of this material is that it will be safely absorbed by the body in the case of a leak. A potential “downside” is that the material is not as pliable as silicone, so your breasts tend to look firmer and somewhat less natural. This is perfect for women who desire a more augmented and full look — as many do; however, it may not be the best choice if natural and subtle are at the top of your priority list.
Silicone implants are filled with a cohesive silicone gel. Modern silicone selections are available in various thicknesses, allowing you to choose the ideal cohesiveness. The primary benefit of this material is its naturalness. Silicone looks, feels and acts like your real breast tissue, making it ideal for women who want a boost but still want to look real. It is important to monitor silicone, however, since complications are not readily seen by the naked eye.
Implant Size
The other obvious customization is your implant size. Implants are measured in cubic centimeters (CCs). They are not given a “C” or “D” cup as you may expect, and this makes sense since every woman comes into this process with a different amount of existing breast volume.
Volume is one of the most significant choices you can make. If you go too conservative, you may not see the difference you were looking for; if you go too large, your breasts may become cumbersome and make certain physical activities more challenging or even uncomfortable.
Implant Profile
Many women are unaware that implants have different profiles; however, there are few choices more important than this. The implant’s profile measures the base diameter of the implant as well as the height of the implant — or how far the implant projects from the chest.
Generally, an implant with a wider base will not project as far as an implant with a smaller base unless an implant with a greater amount of CCs is chosen.
Implant profiles include:
- Low profile: Implants with a wide base diameter
- Moderate profile: Implants with a narrower base that project further than low profile implants — this is a common choice that fits many body types
- High profile: Implants with a narrower base than moderate implants
- Ultra-high profile: The narrowest base and the one that will project the furthest
The right profile for you will depend on your aesthetic desires; however, it will also depend on your body frame. Women with broader chest walls generally require an implant with a wider diameter.
All of this will be discussed with your surgeon during your initial consultation.
Implant Shape
You may not be aware that not all implants are round. Some are teardrop-shaped, where they are fuller at the bottom than they are at the top. This is known as an anatomical implant, as it is shaped to mimic the natural slope of the breasts. These implants tend to be more natural looking than round implants which provide equal volume to the upper and lower poles of the breasts.
Implant Texture
Just like implants have different shapes, they also have different textures. Anatomical implants have a rough surface (textured implants). This surface grabs onto the breast tissue and prevents the implants from shifting or rotating in the pocket. This is essential because a rotating teardrop implant will be noticeable should it move.
Round implants can be textured or smooth. Smooth implants can rotate freely in the breast pocket; however, since this shape provides equal volume, it is generally not a concern.
Finding Your Perfect Implant
Aesthetic Consideration
Only you truly know the level of enhancement you are looking for. And while we may provide recommendations, the final choice is up to you. So, it is important to ask yourself the following questions.
- Why am I currently unhappy with my breasts?
- Do I prefer a natural or augmented look?
Your Body Frame
While you likely have an idea of what you hope to achieve, it is important to listen to what your body is telling you.
If you are 5’0”, weighing 100 pounds with a narrow chest wall, you likely can’t comfortably choose as large of an implant as a taller woman with broader shoulders. Simply, your body cannot support it.
Full, voluptuous and curve-perfecting breasts are possible no matter your body frame, but you need to be realistic. Consider your height, your shoulder width, your chest wall, your current breast size and your age.
Your breasts change naturally as you age and undergo weight fluctuations, pregnancies and more. How will your augmented breasts handle those changes?
Your Lifestyle
There is no denying that overly large breasts can potentially get in the way of physical activity like exercising and sports. The discomfort caused by this is what drives some women to consider breast reduction surgery.
While breast implants usually have zero impact on your favorite activities, women who choose oversized implants may experience some complications. And while you can always undergo breast implant removal should you realize that you selected the wrong implant, it is better to plan ahead so that the implants you choose are the implants you keep.
Before making that final size selection, consider this:
- What type of activities do you most enjoy?
- Are you into running or vigorous sports?
- Will the heavy weight of your oversized implants result in premature breast sagging?
What If I Want Larger Breasts But Are Unsure About Implants?
If you desire fuller breasts but have concerns about implants, you may have another option. Natural breast augmentation, or fat transfer breast augmentation, allows you to enhance the fullness of the breasts using fat that has been removed from other areas of your body, usually the abdomen, hips, thighs or buttocks.
Here, localized fat deposits are removed using gentle liposuction techniques, the fat is processed and cleaned, and then it is injected back into the breasts. Breast augmentation using fat transfer cannot provide the same size increase as breast implants, but it can be a perfect option for women looking for subtle improvement.
Fat transfer can also be performed in combination with breast implants to provide the implants with extra tissue coverage and cushion. This is ideal for women with little natural breast tissue.
The Time for Loving Your Breasts Is Now. Schedule Your Breast Augmentation Consultation in Dallas, TX, Today!
The best way to learn which implant is right for your body and aesthetic dreams is by sitting down with a skilled plastic surgeon and discussing your options. All of our plastic surgeons at DFW Aesthetics and Cosmetic Surgery are fellowship-trained and highly experienced in providing the safest and most advanced breast augmentation techniques.
During your breast implant consultation at DFW, we use Crisalex, an advanced technology that simulates what your body will look like with different implant options. This allows you to virtually try on implants to determine which best suits you!
If you are tired of dreaming of your perfect breasts and now want to make them a reality, call us today at 817-484-0169 or fill out our online contact form.
