Breast Augmentation with Silicone Breast Implants
Breast augmentation is performed on women looking to enhance the size and shape of their breasts with implants. These implants are available in both silicone and saline filling materials.
Dr. Schlechter offers silicone implants for women in the greater Chicago area.
What Are Silicone Breast Implants?
Silicone breast implants are by far the most common and highly recommended implants for primary augmentation or breast reconstruction. These implants consist of a silicone shell that is filled with cohesive silicone gel and are also called gummy bear implants.
What Are the Benefits of Silicone Breast Implants?
Silicone implants:
- Look and feel more like natural breast tissue
- Are less prone to rippling or wrinkling
- Offer a variety of sizes and shapes
- Are more tailored to match your specific body frame
- Are approved for women over the age of 22
What Are My Silicone Implant Options?
Silicone breast implants are available in a variety of sizes, shapes, and textures to meet your desired goals.
What Is the Difference Between Smooth and Textured Breast Implants?
The shells of your silicone implants may be smooth or rough.
- Smooth implants are non-porous in texture. These implants can move or rotate freely in the breast pocket, mimicking the movement of natural breast tissue.
- Textured implants have porous shells that adhere to your breast tissue to prevent rotation in the breast pocket.
What Is the Difference Between Round and Anatomical Implants?
Silicone implants may be round or anatomically shaped.
- Round implants are spherical in shape. These implants provide equal volume in the upper and lower regions of the breast and typically offer more cleavage than anatomical implants. Round implants can have a smooth or textured surface.
- Anatomical implants have a teardrop shape. These implants are made of a thicker silicone gel and are designed to match the anatomy of a natural breast. Anatomical implants have a textured surface to prevent rotation in the breast pocket.
What Is the Breast Implant Profile?
The implant profile determines the base width in comparison to the implant height (or projection).
Implants of the same cubic centimeters (CCs) can look very different depending on their implant profile. Profiles range from low to ultra-high.
- Low profile implants have a wide base and do not project far off of the chest. These are ideal for women with a broader chest wall.
- Moderate profile implants have a narrower base than low profile implants and project further from the chest. These are ideal for women with standard-size chest walls.
- High profile implants have a narrow base and project far off the chest. These are appropriate for women with smaller chest walls.
- Ultra-high profile implants have an even narrower base than high profile implants and are ideal for very petite women or women who are undergoing breast reconstruction.
Who Are the Manufacturers of Silicone Breast Implants?
What Are Allergan® Silicone Implants?
Allergan® offers a wide variety of silicone breast implants, including Natrelle® implants. These implants are extremely durable and reduce the risk of rippling and rupture. Allergan® breast implants are FDA approved and provide women with many options in regards to shape and projection.
Should I Be Concerned About the Allergan® Silicone Implant Recall?
In July 2019, the FDA urged Allergan® to recall a specific line of textured implants, known as BIOCELL® implants. This recall was due to a potential correlation between the implants and breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (BIA-ACLC), a rare cancer of the lymphatic system. This link is only associated with BIOCELL® textured implants and is statistically unlikely to occur even with those implants.
The FDA is urging women with these implants to be vigilant but is not recommending implant removal if no complications are being experienced.
What Are Mentor® Silicone Implants?
Similar to Allergan® breast implants, Mentor® implants are FDA approved and offer a variety of silicone options. Mentor® implants have a softer silicone shell and provide more consistent sizes within a specific implant shape.
What Happens If My Silicone Implants Rupture?
Silicone implants have improved significantly since they were first introduced in the 1960s. Modern silicone implants are made of a much more cohesive gel, meaning that they are less likely to leak or bleed in the case of a rupture.
Nowadays, the cohesive silicone gel will stay inside the implant shell even if there is a rupture, leading to fewer potential complications.
What Is a Silent Rupture?
Silicone ruptures are considered “silent” because they are not readily identifiable to the naked eye. Silent ruptures are usually only identified by an MRI or ultrasound.
How Much Does Breast Augmentation With Silicone Implants Cost?
The cost of breast augmentation will vary depending on several factors, including geographical location, surgeon’s fees, facility fees, anesthesia fees, pre-surgical tests, post-surgical dressings, and the implants themselves.
Silicone implants cost more than saline implants, and this cost can increase even more depending on how customized the silicone implants are.
You will be given an accurate cost estimate during your consultation with Dr. Schlechter that will include all of the above factors.
How Should I Maintain My Silicone Breast Implants?
Silicone implants are designed to be long lasting; however, they are not expected to be permanent. The longevity of silicone implants varies from patient to patient. Some women may have to replace their silicone implants after seven to 10 years, while others can keep their implants for two to three decades.
Are There Any Downsides to Silicone Breast Implants?
While silicone breast implants offer significant benefits over saline breast implants, they may not be ideal for every woman.
There are some downsides to silicone implants, including:
- You must be at least 22 years old. Saline implants only require women to be 18 years old due to FDA guidelines.
- Silicone implants are filled by the manufacturer as opposed to being filled by your surgeon. Therefore, they require a larger incision than saline implants.
- Silicone implants are more expensive than saline implants.
- Silicone implant ruptures are more difficult to spot than saline ruptures.
Interested in Learning More?
If you are interested in breast augmentation with silicone implants, contact Dr. Benjamin Schlechter at North Shore Aesthetics to schedule a consultation by calling (847) 737-5036 or by filling out our online contact form.
Dr. Schlechter performs breast augmentation and breast revision surgery for women in Northbrook and the greater Chicago area.
