Over the course of its history, breast augmentation has come a very long way. Once almost unavoidably obvious, new techniques and devices have been developed to produce natural-looking and feeling breast enlargement results.
Silicone breast implants tend to feel more like natural breast tissue than saline alternatives. This is particularly true of the form stable (“gummy bear”) breast implant, which is filled with a cohesive gel that mimics the feel of natural breast tissue almost perfectly. However, different types of breast implants can all feel natural to the touch when the correct procedural steps are taken.
Breast Implant Placement
There are two primary breast implant placement options:
- Above chest muscles, just below breast tissue (Subglandular)
- Below both breast tissue and chest muscles (Submuscular)
When a breast implant is placed above the muscles of the chest, natural breast tissue alone will cover it. For women with sufficient breast tissue, this may not result in a problem, but for women with insufficient breast tissue to cover an implant, subglandular placement will not likely look or feel natural.
Submuscular breast implant placement places breast implants underneath muscle and tissue. Because the implants are obscured by the chest wall, the only thing that can be felt is natural breast tissue. Breast implant placement underneath chest muscles can also help hide imperfections such as ripples and wrinkles that sometimes impact saline implants.
Round vs. Teardrop Breast Implants
Breast implants can be round or teardrop shaped. Round implants can rotate freely without impacting symmetry and offer ideal upper pole enhancement, which can improved cleavage. Teardrop implants have more volume in the lower portion and mimic the natural shape of the human breast. Your unique anatomy and ultimate desires will dictate which option is best for your needs.
Incision Options for Breast Implant Placement
The incisions for your breast augmentation procedure can also impact how natural your breast implants will feel to the touch. The three incision options we offer at our Los Altos plastic surgery center are:
- In the armpit (Transaxillary)
- Underneath the breast mound (Inframammary)
- Around the nipple (Areolar)
Areolar placement may leave a faint scar around the nipple, hidden in the dark skin of the areola. Inframammary may leave a faint scar underneath the breasts in the space where breasts meet the chest. With both of these options, proper incision care and surgical recovery will help improve the final look and feel of your breast enlargement procedure, but it is possible for some tactile scaring to be present for life.
Transaxillary incisions remove the risk of scars from the breasts entirely and may lend to a more natural feel. However, because the incision location is further away from the surgical site, ideal placement is much more difficult when breast implants are placed through the armpits. This is one of the myriad reasons to only work with an experienced, qualified, and board-certified plastic surgeon for your breast augmentation procedure.
Contact Altos Oaks Plastic Surgery
The board-certified plastic surgeons at Altos Oaks Plastic Surgery offer a range of breast augmentation options, enabling us to meet the varied needs and desires of each of our patients. Please call us at 650-934-7020 to schedule your initial consultation at our Los Altos location. We welcome patients from San Jose, Mountain View, Palo Alto, and all surrounding areas of California.