Learning About Your Breast Implant Options

Aug 26, 2018 @ 05:05 PM — by Constance M. Barone, M.D.

Tagged with: Breast Implant Breast Implants Breast Augmentation Implants Ideal Implants

What comes to mind when you think about breast augmentation? You might think about the surgery, going under anesthesia, or what recovery will feel like. You probably imagine your new body and buying new clothes. What you may not be thinking about are your breast implant options. Picking your breast implants will be one of the most important decisions you make surrounding your breast augmentation, because they will affect you for years to come. Dr. Constance Barone, a board-certified plastic surgeon in San Antonio, Texas helps women make this choice by educating them on the benefits and compromises of each implant type. Dr. Barone recommends the newest implant, the IDEAL IMPLANT® Structured Breast Implant for her patients who want beautiful results with peace of mind.

Types of Breast Implants

There are three types of breast implants available from board-certified plastic surgeons:

Saline Breast Implants: These implants are silicone shells filled with saline (sterilized salt water). They are sometimes compared to water balloons because they have no structure inside and the saline has a density similar to water.
Silicone Gel Breast Implants: Thick, sticky silicone gel fills the silicone shells of these implants, which are sometimes referred to as “silicone implants”. The silicone gel is dense, giving these implants a smooth result that mimics breast tissue.
IDEAL IMPLANT Structured Breast Implants: These implants consist of a silicone shell with two chambers and several baffled shells. They are filled with saline, but the internal structure provides stability so it mimics breast tissue rather than a water balloon.

The FDA has approved saline breast implants and the IDEAL IMPLANT for women ages 18 and up, and silicone gel implants for women ages 22 and up.

Beautiful, Natural Looking Breast Implant Options

Beautiful, natural looking breast implants can boost your self esteem and lead to a higher quality of life. You should never have to worry about seeing a wrinkle or ripple from your implant when you’re wearing a bathing suit. For this reason, many women used to choose silicone gel breast implants over saline breast implants. Saline does not resemble natural breast tissue and tends to ripple and wrinkle, especially in women who do not have much fat covering the implant. The IDEAL IMPLANT Structured Breast Implant is also filled with saline, but it is not considered a “saline implant” because of the internal structure. The baffled shells inside control the flow of saline in the implant and support the upper pole so it does not collapse when upright. The results are natural appearance, feeling, and movement. In fact, many surgeons and patients cannot tell the difference between the IDEAL IMPLANT and silicone implants during a blind test.

Long Term Maintenance Costs Of Breast Implants

If silicone gel gives women natural looking results, why was the IDEAL IMPLANT created, and why do many board-certified plastic surgeons recommend it? Silicone gel breast implants come with several important compromises for women. Many women are unaware that the FDA recommends MRIs every two years to check for silent ruptures in women with silicone gel implants. A silent rupture can happen when a silicone gel implant begins to leak without showing symptoms. According to Business Insider the average cost of an MRI can be $444-$1468, a cost which is not typically covered by insurance companies. Additionally, the chances you will need a revision surgery are higher with silicone gel breast implants because the risk of rupture and risk of capsular contracture is higher. With silicone gel breast implants, the risk of rupture at 6 to 7 years for primary augmentation can be as high as 7.4%. The risk of capsular contracture in silicone gel breast implants at 6 to 7 years can be as high as 16.2% for primary augmentation. The IDEAL IMPLANT has a capsule contracture risk of 6.3%, and the lowest rupture rate of any implant, at 1.8%. Knowing these statistics can help you make a choice that will lead to a great looking result with a lower risk of revision surgeries.

Breast Implant Options That Provide Peace Of Mind

Your peace of mind is very important after your breast augmentation. Just like you shouldn’t have to worry about aesthetic issues, you also shouldn’t worry about a silent rupture. The higher rates of rupture and capsule contracture, coupled with not knowing the status of their implants leads many women to feel daily anxiety about their silicone gel implants. Saline is naturally absorbed by the body, and a rupture in a saline breast implant or the IDEAL IMPLANT Structured Breast Implant can be immediately detected by simply looking at the breasts. The IDEAL IMPLANT Structured Breast Implant is the option that women have been waiting for, the peace of mind from using saline with the natural results of silicone gel.

Visiting Dr. Barone For The IDEAL IMPLANT

Dr. Constance Barone is a board-certified plastic surgeon with over 30 years of experience. She is dedicated to staying up to date with medical technology in order to provide the best and safest surgeries for her patients. At her San Antonio plastic surgery clinic, she gives patients all the information about their breast implant options so they can make an informed decision.

If you’re considering a breast augmentation visit Dr. Barone’s office. Go to https://www.baroneplasticsurgery.com/ to learn more, or call 210-614-0400 to schedule your no-obligation consultation.