Background: With almost a million breast implants placed per year in the U.S. for aesthetic breast augmentation, the results achieved are highly variable even though the implants have the same basic shape. This is due a basic breast augmentation concept….all breast implants do is take what you have and make it look bigger.
Breast implants do not have the capability to fix natural breast asymmetries, sagging breasts, where the breast mound sits on the chest wall or change the position/shape of the nipple-areolar complex. Implants are simple mound enlargers that have no other magical properties to do more. For this reason it is critical that the patient be aware of what breast implants will or will not do before surgery so their postoperative expectations are realistic.
While most women will achieve satisfying results from their breast implant surgery, few women ever achieve a perfect result by either patient or surgeon assessment. This is for the simple reason that few breasts are ever perfect initially and that the placement of paired synthetic implants into the body can create different responses in healing.
Case Study: This 20 year-old female presented for breast augmentation desiring a full round breast look result. She opted for high profile silicone implants.
Under general anesthesia she had 350cc high profile silicone implants placed trough 3.5 cm long inframammary incisions in the partial submuscular dual plane position. (it required her nipple piercings to be removed right before surgery)
Her breast augmentation result is as good one as one can get. This is judged by the symmetry of the breasts and their rounded shape which she desired. While good placement and surgical technique was needed, it was aided by the good symmetric shape of her breasts before surgery.
Highlights:
1) The best breast augmentation results occur in those women who have the best breast tissue/shape before surgery.
2) A high profile silicone breast implant produces a fuller looking breast mound with good upper pole fullness.
3) Symmetry is an important element of a good breast augmentation result.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana