When considering breast augmentation, it’s natural to feel a bit nervous about the results. You likely want a little more oomph in terms of size, but you might be concerned that the surgery will make them look too large too. Alternatively, you may be worried that the implants won’t be big enough.
Another common concern among those considering breast augmentation is that the results will appear artificial or fake. You’ve no doubt seen it before: breasts that are just too round, breasts that are too far apart or breasts that look too large for the woman who has them. Fortunately, with careful planning by you and your surgeon, it is possible to achieve natural-looking breasts with surgery. There are three major factors that determine whether your breasts look natural or not: implant size, implant material, and implant position. Read on to learn more about each.
Implant Size
The size of the implants plays a huge role when it comes to whether or not your surgery ends up producing natural results. Although many women think of cup size when they think of breast size, actual breast implants aren’t sized like bras. You wouldn’t go to the surgeon and request a “34D” breast implant.
Instead, they are sized using cubic centimeters, or cc’s, which measure the volume of the implant. The volume of the implant not only determines what your final bra size will be after surgery, it also determines whether the implant will work in proportion to the rest of your body. For example, if you are a taller, broad-shouldered woman, you will likely need a larger implant to get the same bra size as a smaller framed, shorter woman.
There is a lot of trial and error when it comes to choosing the right implant size, but a few tools can help you and your surgeon pick the right one. Computer imaging will give you an idea of what the final results will look like using a variety of different implant sizes. Trying on sizers can also give you an idea of how the implants will look and feel after surgery.
What happens if an implant is too large for your body? If the implant is too wide to fit the breast, it is likely to spill out into the underarm area or into the space between the breasts. Neither result creates a natural look. If the implant is too full, your breasts are likely to end up looking too projected, jutting too far out from the chest.
Implant Material
Today, breast augmentation patients have two basic options when it comes to implant materials: silicone or saline. There are pros and cons to each material. Saline implants are the better option for some women, while silicone implants are the better option for others.
Often, patients prefer silicone implants because they do tend to have a more natural feel. The implants are filled with a soft gel that better imitates breast tissue than saline. Saline implants tend to have a firmer feel than silicone.
The amount of breast tissue you naturally have will play a role in determining whether a saline or silicone implant is most appropriate for you. Women with more breast tissue can often get a natural result with saline implants, since they have enough of their own tissue to cover and conceal the implant. Women with less natural breast tissue can often get a better result with silicone implants.
Position of the Implant During Breast Augmentation
The position and location of the implant during breast augmentation can also influence the appearance of the final results. During the surgery, the surgeon can put the implant either on top of the chest muscle or beneath the muscle.
Just as silicone implants are often the better choice for women with little natural breast tissue, placement under the muscle is often the better choice for women with less breast tissue. When there’s not much natural tissue, the implant will be very visible beneath the skin unless there is something over top of it.
But there are some disadvantages to under-the-muscle placement. One is that the implant is affected by the contractions of the chest muscle. If the implant is beneath the muscle, it can be squeezed or change shape when a woman’s chest muscles contract. The change in shape only lasts for as long as the contractions last, but it can still create a temporarily unnatural look.
Over-the-muscle placement can sometimes be the better option for some women. Women with more breast tissue might benefit from having implants placed over top of the chest muscle, not beneath the muscle.
About Dr. Ran Rubinstein
Choosing an experienced surgeon plays a huge role when it comes to getting a natural result after breast augmentation. Dr. Ran Y. Rubinstein, a board certified plastic surgeon, regularly performs breast augmentation and other breast surgeries on patients at his practice in Manhattan. He can guide you through the process of choosing the right implants to create a natural result. Along with breast augmentation, Dr. Rubinstein offers patients a variety of procedures, from facelift to rhinoplasty, at Laser & Cosmetic Surgery Specialists, PC in Newburgh, New York. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Rubinstein, call 845-863-1772 today.
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