Breast Implants

Breast augmentation is more popular now than ever before and the types of implants available continue to expand and improve. With the introduction of a new generation of FDA-approved silicone gel implants, women now have more options than ever before in selecting the implant that is best for each woman’s body. The latest improvement for enhancement of the breast with saline implants is the High Profile implant, which maximizes the options for shaping a narrower breast with a taller projection.

The ideal candidates for this style of implant are petite-framed women without a lot of droop to their breasts. The implant is narrow but tall, with an increased capacity for saline filling. Once the saline is added to the implant, the shaped breast projects nicely while avoiding excessive fullness and expansion beyond the chest wall and into the underarm area. This combination works well with petite-framed women who desire larger, shapelier breasts without excessive width.

Everyone loves full and shapely breasts that do not look “overdone.” The High Profile saline implant offers the option of a larger, shapelier breast to the small-framed woman.

The FDA Panel approved the use of silicone breast implants for most women in November of 2006. After 14 years of intense study involving patients, plastic surgeons, and manufacturers, silicone breast implants are now an option for most women for first-time augmentations. The only limitation requires that patients be at least 22 years old.

Prior to this wider release, silicone implants were only available to women having reconstructive needs or anatomic abnormalities. For women younger than 22 years of age who do not fit these criteria, the FDA recommends saline implants for first-time cosmetic breast enhancement.

Additionally, the FDA recommends regular MRI scans over a woman’s lifetime to check for ruptures. If a rupture is detected during one of these exams, replacement is recommended. The most recent research suggests that 90% of silicone implants last 10 or more years. Please note that newer generations of implants are made with a “highly cohesive” silicone (like gummy bears). This new gel formulation should further improve this statistic relative to the older generations of silicone implants.