Although breast implants come in many shapes and sizes, basically there are two main types of shapes. One is more round, often called a “round” implant. The other is more teardrop shape and called an “anatomical or form-shaped” implant. The most common implant placed in the United States is a round implant and the most common in Europe is the teardrop shaped implant. There is a great deal of debate among surgeons as to which type of implant is best. The round implant tends to give more fullness to the upper portion of the breast and a little more cleavage. Many, if not most, patients find this desirable and choose this implant.
The “anatomical” implant gives a more teardrop shape to the breasts and may be a little more natural looking, especially in a woman who is very flat-chested, but the implant is usually more firm and can sometimes feel fake. Also, there tends to be less fullness in the upper portion of the breast that many women do not like. In Dr. Lane Smiths’ practice, you may choose either implant. When women want to have an implant changed to a different-shaped implant, most commonly women with teardrop-shaped implants ask to be changed to round implants.
If you have any more questions about the shape of breast implants, please call 702.838.3755 so we can answer your questions, or schedule your consultation. You can also fill out the form to the right and one of our Patient Coordinators will call you as soon as possible.
You’ve probably calling every plastic surgeon in Las Vegas trying to find the answer to this very popular question. Fortunately, you found Dr. Lane Smith! He believes in giving you as many choices as possible. In doing so, giving you the most information will empower you to make the best decision for yourself. After many years of not allowing silicone implants for breast augmentation, the FDA finally approved silicone implants for breast augmentation. Because of this, you may now choose between Saline or silicone breast implants.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both types of implants. Silicone breast implants are filled with a silicone gel polymer. This is a thick substance with the consistency of a very thick jello or thin gummy bear. These implants cannot really leak, but they can crack eventually. The silicone implants last longer than the saline implants, and currently have a lifetime warranty. Saline breast implants are filled with I.V. fluid (saline), which is mostly water with a little bit of sodium in it to match your body fluid. These have a 10-year warranty, but an extended warranty can be purchased through the implant company.
Many people think the implants have to be replaced every 10 years but this is not true. The implants only have to be replaced when they rupture or crack. Both implants are expected to last much longer than 10 years. When the saline implant ruptures, it will not harm the patient, the body will simply absorb the water, but the breast will get smaller. When the silicone implant cracks, it should not be harmful either, but replacement is recommended.
The silicone implants have a softer more natural feel to them than the saline implants. They are also less prone to rippling (a slightly wavy appearance to the breast that can occur with the saline implants when leaning over). For most patients, silicone implants are a better implant and are the implants most commonly recommended by Dr. Lane Smith.
The silicone implants cost more than the saline implants. This is because all of the previous lawsuits regarding silicone implants. Interestingly, the lawsuits were claiming the implants caused connective tissue diseases such as Lupus or arthritis. That has now been shown to be completely false, but the attorneys did not return the money to the implant companies they bankrupted, and the thousands of employees who lost their jobs from the lawsuits did not get their jobs back. However, the price of the actual implants jumped 1000%, and this unfortunately must be passed directly on to the patient.
