The size of a woman’s breast tissue varies depending on weight gain and loss, breastfeeding, and genetic structure. Breast aesthetic surgery can be applied in cases where the breast is structurally small, sagging, or has a shape irregularity. In such and similar cases, women turn to breast augmentation aesthetics in order to increase the volume of breast tissue that is absent or lost and to achieve an aesthetic appearance.
In breast augmentation aesthetics, silicone breast implants are used to increase volume and support insufficiently sized breast tissue. The implants used in breast augmentation aesthetics have a natural appearance and preserve their shape for many years without requiring any additional procedure.
Before the aesthetic operation, the patient’s breast tissue, measurements, the size the patient desires, and the shape of the breast are taken into consideration. Through this planning, the type of implant to be used and the size of the implant are determined. Each plan is made specific to the patient and the breast tissue. Within this planning, the appropriate implant and the level at which the implant will be placed are quite important for the aesthetic operation to be successful.
There are non-implant methods for breast augmentation, such as hyaluronic acid fillers and aquafill®, but the gold-standard method for breast augmentation is augmentation with silicone implants. Fat-filling applications and stem cell therapies for breast augmentation can also be applied successfully. These methods can be applied during or after the augmentation procedure in order to camouflage the implants and achieve more natural results.
What Is a Breast Implant?
A breast implant is used in breast augmentation operations to mimic breast tissue that has lost volume or is not at the desired volume. The implants used in breast augmentation aesthetics are also referred to as implants or silicone.
The outer surface of breast implants is covered with hard silicone. Their interiors are softer and have a gel consistency. These implants, which have various physical characteristics, are divided into groups by size, shape, surface, and content. Implants, which can have a smooth or textured surface, come in types with saline, cohesive gel, or silicone content.
What Are the Types of Breast Implants?
The implants used in breast aesthetics all contain silicone material. However, they are divided into groups and classified among themselves according to their variety. Within this classification, silicones are distinguished from one another in terms of shape, content, and shell — that is, surface structure.
Breast Implants by Shape
Breast implants classified according to their shape are considered in two groups: round and anatomical (teardrop) breast implants. Round breast silicones resemble a half-sphere. Their middle section is thick. After placement, they provide a full appearance in the lower part of the breast.
Anatomical implants, also known as teardrop silicones, have a shape resembling a raindrop, as the name suggests. This implant, whose upper part is thin, has a wider lower part. After placement, a full appearance is achieved in the lower part of the breast. Since it generally gives the desired breast appearance, its breast-compatible shape and augmentation possibilities are frequently made use of. Silicones with this shape are generally preferred for breasts with less sagging that do not require a lift procedure.
We can state that which of the round or teardrop-shaped implants will be used for which breast types varies depending on the breast tissue or structure. However, when we examine the implants used in breast augmentation aesthetics, we can say that since the purpose of the aesthetic operation is augmentation, round implants are generally preferred in women. In some cases, within the plans made by the physician, teardrop-shaped implants that grow from top to bottom are also preferred in breast types with little breast tissue in order to achieve a natural look.
Breast Implants by Content
Breast implants classified by content are divided into silicone- and saline-content types. Saline-content implants are further divided among themselves into liquid silicone and cohesive gel. The content of these implants, whose outer shell is silicone-coated, can also have a gel-consistency silicone and saline — that is, salt water — content.
Breast silicones filled with saline are easily placed through small incisions made around the navel or in the underarm area. If the breast implant is damaged as a result of any trauma, there is a possibility that the saline inside may leak. However, this situation does not create any problem for the breast or breast tissue. However, over time, the likelihood of replacement is higher compared to gel-filled implants. In implants with a firm gel content, there is no risk in the event of damage caused by any trauma. Even when cut, the adhesive molecules contained in these gels do not cause any leakage.
Breast Implants by Shell
The outer shells of all breast implants are covered with hard silicone. They are divided into two types among themselves: textured and smooth surfaced. Breast implants with a textured surface have a lower risk of forming a capsule around them. For this reason, they are preferred more frequently.
The areas where these implants can be placed — such as the navel, underarm, nipple, and under-breast areas — as well as the regions where they will be placed, such as under or over the muscle, under the breast, and under the fascia, also differ from one another. In addition, which of the implants used in breast aesthetics will be preferred varies depending on the structure and volume of the breasts and the structure of the body. For this reason, it should not be forgotten that in patient-satisfaction-focused breast augmentation operations, plans such as the appropriate implant, placement area, the region where it will be placed, and the surgical technique to be used are determined by the plastic surgeon. During the decision-making stage, the shape of the breast to be created is decided together with the patient using trial implants, and the necessary modifications are made.