You don’t have to settle for breast implants that are “just fine.” Instead, you can have those that perfectly match your body size and type, thanks to a thorough consultation from Murphy Plastic Surgery in Englewood, CO, convenient for all living in Denver. We’ll review a number of measurements, not just those concerning your breasts, and consider your personality and activity levels. Then you can confidently move forward with surgery and look forward to more feminine curves.

What Are the Different Types of Breast Implants?

Just as people come in all shapes and sizes, so, too, do breast implants. The first implant type we’ll discuss is saline, made of sterile saltwater. This option requires a slightly smaller incision than other implants and helps create a firm, projecting breast contour. Saline is well suited to people with thicker skin, as those with thin tissues may experience ripples in the implant shell.

Silicone, made of cohesive gel, is designed to be soft – so soft that the implants are nearly indistinguishable from natural breast tissues. The main goal with these is to achieve a natural appearance, although saline is also very natural-looking. Both materials likewise simulate the feel of natural breasts. In 2006, the FDA approved new generation silicone implants that have since been affirmed as overwhelmingly safe in a number of medical studies.

Gummy Bear Implants

Form-stable implants, often referred to as gummy bear implants, maintain their shapes in any position. They help retain more projection of the breast’s lower pole as well as a smooth slope of the upper portion. Like silicone, gummy bear implants are made of gel, albeit much thicker than traditional silicone implants.

Gummy bear implants are also slightly firm to the touch and tend to be teardrop-shaped rather than round. This can help restore shape in patients with a mild amount of loose skin in the breast. Although a larger incision may be required with these implants, they offer a number of advantages, including remaining stable and durable over time. In fact, the highly cohesive gel can maintain its shape for years.

Benefits of the Gummy Bear

These implants are also made with tight molecular bonds, meaning the gel stays intact while delivering a very natural look and feel. And over time, your body will naturally conform around the shape of the implant so that others will be hard-pressed to tell that you’ve had the proverbial work done.

Round and Teardrop Implants

Women choose round implants because they make breasts appear fuller, especially in the lower pole. The breasts also project more to provide a smooth, feminine silhouette. Because round implants have the same shape all over, patients don’t need to worry about them rotating out of place. Their appearance does not change even if the implants do slightly shift.

Earlier, we mentioned that most gummy bear implants are often teardrop-shaped rather than round. Teardrop implants are smaller at the top with more mass at the bottom. This design is intended to emulate a breast’s naturally sloping appearance. Should you want more fullness in your breasts, round implants may be the right choice. But for a more natural appearance, teardrop implants more closely mimic the female breast.

Smooth and Textured

Smooth implants, as you might have guessed, feel soft and smooth to the touch. They can also move inside the pocket created in your chest to hold them. By designing these implants to respond to your natural movements, they shift and sway like a natural breast might.

Textured implants, on the other hand, don’t move as much. These can make great options for patients who have very little natural breast tissue left, such as breast reconstruction patients. Textured implants are known for providing an aesthetically pleasing shape while staying in place as they grip surrounding tissues.

How To Choose

Choosing the right breast implants for your needs and wants is just as personal as deciding to have breast augmentation in the first place. We’ll certainly help you with this decision, but knowing what to consider – and what not to – can help you be an active partner in your surgery.

Don’t Worry About Bra Size

For starters, you should forget about bra size. Many patients come to us saying “I’d like to be a C cup.” Although we interpret this as meaning they’d like their breasts to be more proportionate to their body, the results aren’t necessarily a “C.” This is because bra manufacturers do not size universally. You may therefore need different sizes from different manufacturers, rendering your C cup desires somewhat immeasurable.

A better approach is to work with our staff directly to achieve the look you desire. If you end up as a “B” cup but are happy with your body’s appearance, bra size becomes irrelevant.

Understand Your Body

The implant appropriate for your body depends on more than just the breast size you want. We’ll also take into consideration your:

• Height
• Weight
• Body frame
• Shoulder width
• Hip width
• Buttock
• Starting breast volume

Take a Moment To Reflect

Generally speaking, as the areas mentioned above increase in size, we will recommend larger implants to maintain proportions. To illustrate, a woman 5’3″ who weighs 110 pounds with a relatively small frame will likely need smaller implants than a woman who is 5’10” and 150 pounds with a medium frame.

Having said this, it’s difficult to stand before a mirror and critically review your own body. Doing so can increase your personal appreciation and knowledge of your body, but it may not give you the full picture. That’s why our staff is available to assist with your decision. You can also bring a friend or family member to your consultation to help with the decision-making process.

Think About Your Personality

An outgoing woman with a type-A personality will be able to find an implant that complements her attitude just as easily as a woman who is quiet and shy with a type B personality. The goal is to maintain the real you. It’s therefore important that you speak with our office about how you want to be perceived by the public. We can enhance your physical appearance and garner the attention you desire without making you feel self-conscious.

Consider Your Activity Level

If you enjoy sweating at a Denver gym, running, vigorously riding your bike, or otherwise playing serious sports, you need to consider the trade-off between larger breasts and comfortably performing your activities. This in no way suggests breast implants will limit your physical abilities – just the opposite, you’ll feel more confident to get out and do the activities you love.

But larger breasts will feel different at first and need more support. We recommend you speak frankly with our staff so we can identify the perfect implant profile for your lifestyle while still achieving your appearance goals.

Forget What Someone Else Has

Another common refrain is, “My friend has 40Ds, and they look great on her. I’d love the same size.” The operative words here are “on her,” meaning what looks good on one person may not look good on you. Even women who are the same size in terms of weight and height may need different implants. You want a customized appearance, and the more open you are to implant sizes and styles, the better your results will be.

Busting Implant Myths

If you’ve heard that breast augmentation is only for younger women, dismiss this notion from your head. Implants can improve the appearance and confidence of women of almost any age.

To illustrate, women in their 40s often choose this procedure after they’re finished having children and want to restore their youthful curves. More important than a biological number is ensuring a patient is in good health and capable of maintaining realistic expectations for their surgery results.

Myth: Implants Always Look Fake

It’s true that throughout the 1990s, implants favored a heavily enhanced look. Today, however, this is no longer the case. Doctors and patients alike now prefer a more natural appearance. And new implant technology helps implants look and feel like real tissues.

Myth: Implants Make Breastfeeding Impossible

We’re not sure why this myth continues to persist, but it’s entirely untrue. Many women throughout Denver get breast augmentation and have no problems breastfeeding their children after. During your consultation with our team, remember to discuss your desire to breastfeed after surgery, and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.

Achieve Your Best Body

Breast augmentation is a safe and common surgery that helps women achieve the body shape they desire. And thanks to a number of different implant options, you can choose the exact material, shape, and size that matches your appearance goals. Schedule your consultation today by contacting Murphy Plastic Surgery in Englewood, CO.