When a woman decides to undergo a breast augmentation, she’s generally ready to get started. She’s thought about the procedure, her recovery, and even what she hopes to look like at the end. But we often find she may not have considered what kind of implant she wants in detail. More often than not, patients are not informed enough about their choices.
How Does Breast Augmentation Work?
During breast augmentation surgery, implants are inserted into the patient’s chest to increase their bust size. All those implants are silicone shells filled with either silicone or saline. The shells vary depending on the breast size the patient is trying to achieve. There is also variability in how much material is used to fill the shell. In some cases, implants are filled before the surgery starts, while others are filled after the implantation takes place.
Saline Implants
Saline is a sterile saltwater mixture. Your doctor may prescribe saline eye drops or nose spray if you’re sick. It’s a simple solution that is found in many places in our everyday lives. Nearly half of our patients opt for saline implants which are generally considered the safest option. Since saline is just salt water, the risk of a ruptured implant presents far fewer medical complications than with silicone. Though our patients report being satisfied with their saline implants, the general consensus is that saline implants feel less natural than silicone because the texture is unlike biological breast tissue.
Gummy Bear Implants
Silicone implants got a bad reputation in the late 90s and early 2000s due to their risk of rupture. It was rare, but it was hard to catch. Unlike saline implants, where the rupture would be visible as the body absorbs the water, the silicone would remain in relatively the same location, making it difficult to determine when the rupture occurred. While silicone implants have been deemed safe, many patients are flocking to Gummy Bear implants as an alternative.
There’s a lot to love about gummy bear implants. Like traditional silicone implants, they feel much more natural than saline. This makes them popular with people who want the appearance of a larger breast without it looking overtly obvious. Another interesting feature of the gummy bear implant is its shape. While saline and silicone implants are round and disk-like, gummy bear implants are a teardrop shape that mimics the natural shape of a woman’s bust. This may be the right choice for patients looking for a more natural-looking breast.
One final attribute worth mentioning is the thing that gives the gummy bear implant its name. Unlike silicone implants which can leak when ruptured, gummy bear implants stay firm when cut apart, just as a gummy bear would. This significantly lowers the risk of something bad happening on the off chance that an implant ruptures.
How to Choose an Implant
There are several factors to consider when choosing which implant is right for you. People who want to avoid putting silicone in their bodies often opt for saline implants. If that concerns you, you know just what to choose. Another reason to choose saline implants is if you’re hoping to achieve a large bust with a lot of cleavage. The round shape of the implant makes that possible. On the other hand, if you want a more natural-looking bust and don’t mind using a very safe, FDA-approved silicone product, Gummy Bear implants are the right choice for you.
The great thing about working with a highly experienced plastic surgery practice like ours is that you don’t have to make this decision alone. Dr. DeMercurio will walk you through each step to make sure that you feel confident and excited about the choice you’re making. Contact us today to get started on your breast augmentation journey.
