Breast augmentation can be performed using either round implants or teardrop-shaped implants, also called anatomical implants. While either type of implant can give you great results, it’s important to recognize the effects that your implant shape can have on the appearance of your breasts after surgery.
Comparing Results
When thinking about implant shapes, it’s only natural for your first concern to be related to your results. Which type of implant is going to give you the look that matches your appearance goals? Although both implants can achieve a very beautiful breast augmentation, they do so in slightly different ways.
Round implants will provide fullness throughout the breast, including the upper part of the breast, also called the upper pole. Some women feel that this upper fullness is the quality that makes implants look too obvious, while others prefer the more dramatic and noticeable look that can be achieved using round implants. Round implants are often a popular choice for younger women, as the full, high look these implants deliver can be very similar to a youthful breast shape.
Anatomical implants are shaped like a natural breast, with more volume at the bottom and tapering off toward the top. These teardrop-shaped implants are often preferred by plastic surgery practices for use in women with very little natural breast tissue, or for use in reconstructive surgery, because the implant shape lends itself well to such natural looking results. In contrast, the silhouette of a round implant may be more visible in women with naturally smaller breasts. Anatomical implants are also often the implant shape of choice for older women, as the graduated shape more closely mimics the appearance of the natural breast as it ages.
Additional Advantages
Besides the final results, there are other perks to choosing anatomically shaped implants. These contoured breast implants have a textured outer shell that’s designed to keep the implants in place by giving the surrounding tissues a better grip. As an added bonus, research indicates that textured implants are more resistant to capsular contracture, the development of excessive, hardened scar tissue around the implant.
The latest generation of “gummy bear” breast implants, filled with form-stable silicone gel, are only available in an anatomical shape, and are widely hailed by our Orange County plastic surgeons as the most natural feeling breast implant available to patients today.
Beyond Implant Shape
It’s important to remember that there are other qualities beyond just the shape of the implant that affect your final outcome. The profile of the implant, or how far the implant will project from your body, can make a big difference in the appearance of your breast augmentation. And of course, the size (volume) of the filled implant also has an impact on your end results.
More important than being committed to a particular implant size, shape or volume is being committed to your goals for surgery. Breast augmentation looks best on women when the procedure and the implants are customized for the best individual results. A skilled plastic surgeon can help you decide which implants will help bring out the best in your body, taking into account your natural frame, existing breast tissue and your appearance goals. In the end, the specific implant shape matters far less than feeling confident with your new figure after surgery.
