Breast Implant Options

    TAMPA, FL, June 21, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Breast augmentation remains one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures in the world, not just the US. Part of the reason for the popularity of the procedure is that the numerous options for customizing the procedure. Women can make many decisions about their breast implants to help ensure they get the results they desire.

Breast Implant Manufacturer

There are more than a dozen manufacturers of breast implants worldwide, but only three manufacturers have breast implants approved for sale in the US: Mentor, Allergan, and Sientra.

Until March there were only two, and the restrictive nature of FDA approvals for this technology has proven highly beneficial for US patients, who avoided the tragedy that faced women around the world with inferior Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) breast implants. These implants had a very high rupture rate and it turns out that many of them were filled not with medical grade silicone, but industrial grade silicone that was intended as mattress filler among other applications. The ruptured PIP implants may have been responsible for numerous systemic illnesses among women with ruptured implants. Some of these illnesses have been severe.

Among the three breast implant manufacturers in the US, all seem to offer quality breast implants. There do not seem to be major quality concerns with any of the manufacturers. Most often, women will get breast implants from the manufacturer their doctor works with.

Saline and Silicone Breast Implants

Women may choose to have breast implants filled with either saline or silicone. Both types of breast implants have been shown to be safe. Concerns about systemic illness or cancer associated with silicone gel have not been confirmed. Because systemic illnesses like connective tissue disorders are very rare among both the general population and women with breast implants, the connection between silicone gel and an increased risk can't be ruled out completely, but a very large study has shown that if the risk is increased, it cannot be a large increase.

Saline breast implants are less expensive and more flexible surgically. Silicone breast implants are generally considered to look and feel more natural.

Breast Implant Shape

Breast implants come in round and anatomic or "teardrop" models intended to have the shape of a natural breast. Round breast implants also come in different profiles that make them taller per volume, giving them more forward projection for their volume.

Round implants are most commonly used. Many surgeons do not like to use shaped breast implants because of their tendency to rotate in the breast pocket, leading to a very unnatural shape. Until the Sientra models were approved, there were no shaped breast implants approved for breast augmentation.

Breast Implant Placement

Breast implants can be placed either below the muscle or above the muscle. Although breast implant placement below the chest muscle (submuscular) decreases the risk of capsular contracture (a potentially painful complication of breast augmentation that sometimes requires reoperation), many surgeons like the aesthetic benefits of subglandular placement.

Confused?
If you are confused by all the breast implant options, you're not alone. It's hard to sort out all the options to make a decision about the best breast augmentation procedure for you. That's why it's important to find a plastic surgeon you can trust who can give you advice about your options.

If you are looking for more information about breast implants in the Tampa area, please visit the website of Gayoso Plastic Surgery at www.gayosoplasticsurgery.com.

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