Your Breast Implant Options with Dr. Jane Rowley

Maybe you want to restore lost breast volume from nursing your baby, or perhaps you’ve always had a lack of breast tissue and are ready to get the breasts you’ve always wanted. It could be that you’ve always had asymmetrical breasts, and you just want them to finally look even. Women have all different reasons for wanting a breast augmentation, and the different types of breast implants on the market today can help you achieve your personal goals. In Lubbock, TX, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Jane Rowley presents all your breast implant options and works with you to obtain beautiful, natural-looking results. Here’s a brief explanation about each type of implant and what you need to know before you settle on one.

Types of Breast Implants

Silicone gel breast implants: For years, women have liked silicone gel implants for their natural feel and look. These implants are filled with a cohesive silicone gel and are FDA-approved for women over the age of 22. The implant is filled when it’s manufactured, so longer incisions are needed to place these implants. If a silicone gel implant ruptures, it is undetectable by looking in the mirror, so an MRI scan of the breasts is recommended every 2-3 years by the FDA to be sure there is no silicone gel leaking into your body. These implants can have smooth or textured shells.

Silicone gel “Gummy bear,” implants: Just like the name suggests, these feel like a “gummy bear” because the silicone gel inside is thicker and more cohesive. These implants are available in round or teardrop shapes. Among your breast implant options, if you choose a teardrop-shape you’ll get less fullness in the upper part of your breast, but the bottom half of your breast will drop more naturally. However, if a shaped implant rotates in the body, it can look distorted and require another surgery to correct. Patients over the age of 22 are FDA-approved for these implants.

Saline breast implants: For women who are worried about silicone gel leaking into their body, saline implants are an alternative choice. If you experience a leak in your saline implants, you will be able to see it with a quick glance in the mirror, and the saline will be safely absorbed by your body. Since saline implants are not filled until surgery, they can often be placed with a smaller incision. This also allows your plastic surgeon to add or take out saline solution during surgery for more symmetrical breasts. Some women complain that saline implants feel too similar to a water balloon, and they tend to wrinkle more than other types of breast implants. These are only available in round shapes, and the FDA has approved them for patients over 18.

Structured breast implants, or the IDEAL IMPLANT®: These implants were designed by a plastic surgeon to combine the look and feel of silicone gel with the safety of saline. The IDEAL IMPLANT contains a layered structure so the saline inside will stay in place and not slosh around. A recent study showed that the IDEAL IMPLANT has significantly lower rupture and capsule contracture rates than silicone gel implants. These implants can be placed with a small incision, come only in a round shape, and are FDA approved for patients over 18 years old.

Dr. Rowley says she feels confident in the IDEAL IMPLANT, and likes that it gives her patients peace of mind. “They know when their implant is leaking, they can plan their lives around that, and they know that it’ll be a relatively simple procedure to remove and replace it.”

Breast Implant Options: Textures and Profiles

Though some implants are filled with saline and others with silicone gel, every breast implant on the market today is made with an outer “crosslinked,” solid silicone shell. Sometimes implants have a textured surface to prevent movement inside the chest capsule and avoid rippling of the skin. Out of all the types of breast implants, the IDEAL IMPLANT is made only with a smooth surface.

You can also customize the look you want by choosing varying breast implant profiles. The same amount of volume in a low profile implant will look different than in a moderate or a high profile implant. High profile implants are used to achieve more fullness and projection, while low and moderate profile implants often look more natural. A low profile breast implant is ideal for women with wider chests, while a high profile implant can work better on women with a narrow chest wall.

Why Women Choose Rowley Plastic Surgery

If you’re considering breast implants in Lubbock, TX, you can expect confidence, competence, and communication at Rowley Plastic Surgery. Dr. Rowley is an IDEAL IMPLANT Premier Network Surgeon due to her extensive experience working with IDEAL IMPLANT Structured Breast Implants. She can go over all of your breast implant options with you and help you select the best one for your body. Call Dr. Rowley today at 806-792-3715 for more information. Contact Dr. Rowley for a no-obligation consultation today!