The journey between wanting to have breast augmentation and stepping foot into a plastic surgeon’s office may be a long one for many patients. The process can feel overwhelming. We understand, which is exactly why we encourage people to schedule a consultation with us sooner rather than later. By sitting down with a plastic surgeon, what you’re doing is gaining insights into the finer details of your options than you would by doing research on your own. Here, we discuss some of the ways that choosing the right breast implants for you can be easier right from the beginning of your treatment process.
What Different Breast Implant Types Have to Offer
In the most general sense, breast implants are categorized as saline or silicone. To begin to understand which may be right for you, you must know what each has to offer.
Saline breast implants are the only FDA-approved option for patients between the ages of 18 and 22. That said, some doctors may agree to the off-label use of silicone implants for patients in this age category. The caveat that must be understood is that there is a high likelihood that the breast implant manufacturer warranty will be void. Saline is typically not the preferred choice because they tend to feel firmer than natural breast tissue. That said, there is the advantage of having smaller incisions for this type of implant.
Silicone implants, as you may have guessed, look and feel more like natural breasts. This is why they are the most popular choice. They require longer incisions, but these do tend to fade and are usually hidden beneath a bathing suit or bra. Another consideration with silicone breast implants is that, if they were to leak or rupture, it is nearly impossible to tell without MRI imaging. For this reason, patients are advised to have an MRI every few years.
Determining the Ideal Size
Patients interested in breast augmentation often refer to size as they do when purchasing a bra. “I want to be a full C cup,” some say. Even patients who have had breast augmentation will advise their friends to ask for cup size when consulting with a surgeon. This can be somewhat helpful but, in most cases, the surgeon has to explain how bra size correlates to cc’s of volume. This is how breast implants are described, in cc’s, so it is helpful to not get caught up on a specific cup size. The right size of breast implant is determined not by bra size nor by cc’s, really, but by the shape and type of the body. For example, a plastic surgeon may not recommend large breast implants for a patient who is very petite. They wouldn’t likely recommend smaller implants for a patient with a wide chest. These are just some of the characteristics that a surgeon looks at to help patients find their best breast implant size.
You may have many more questions we can answer to help you make your most confident decision about breast augmentation. Contact our Englewood, NJ office at 201.567.9595 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Richard A. D’Amico or Dr. Julie Ferrauiola.
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