Seattle Breast Implants: Shape, Texture and Style

Bellevue Breast Implants: Shape, Texture and Style

Seattle Breast implants come in a variety of shapes, surface textures, and sizes. Depending on the desired shape you wish to achieve, you and your plastic surgeon may choose a round or contoured breast implant shape. Generally, the larger you want your cup size, the larger the breast implant the plastic surgeon will consider (measured in cubic centimeters, or cc's). All currently available McGhan breast implants have a self sealing (diaphragm) valve that is used for filling the device. Depending on the style, the filling valve may be located on the front (anterior) or the back (posterior) of the breast implant.

You should be aware that contoured breast implants that are placed submuscularly (under your chest muscle) may assume a round shape after implantation. Your plastic surgeon will also evaluate your existing tissue to determine if you have enough to cover the breast implant. If you desire a breast implant size too large for your tissue, the plastic surgeon may warn you that breast implant edges may be apparent or visible post-operatively. You may even risk surgical complications. Also, excessively large breast implants may speed up the effects of gravity and result in earlier droop or sag.

Seattle Breast Implants and Surface Texturing

Textured surface implants were designed to reduce the chance of capsular contracture (a hardening of the breast) Some information in the literature with small numbers of patients suggests that surface texturing reduces the chance of severe capsular contracture, but clinical information from studies of a large number of women with INAMED breast implants shows no difference in the likelihood of developing capsular contracture with textured breast implants compared to smooth surfaced breast implants.

Seattle Breast Implants: Placement and Incision Site

The breast consists of milk ducts and glands, surrounded by fatty tissue that provides its shape and soft feel. Skin elasticity also contributes to breast shape. Factors such as pregnancy (when milk glands are temporarily enlarged) and the inevitable effects of gravity as you age combine to stretch the skin, causing the breast to droop or sag.

The Seattle Breast Implant can be placed either partially under the pectoralis major muscle (submuscular) or on top of the muscle and under the breast glands (subglandular) depending on the thickness of your breast tissue and its ability to adequately cover the breast implant. You should discuss with your surgeon the pros and cons of the breast implant placement selected for you.

The submuscular placement may make surgery last longer, may make recovery longer, may be more painful, and may make it more difficult to have some reoperation procedures than the subglandular placement. The possible benefits of this placement are that it may result in less palpable implants, less capsular contracture, and easier imaging of the breast with mammography. The subglandular placement may make surgery and recovery shorter, may be less painful, and may be easier to access for reoperation than the submuscular placement. However, this placement may result in more palpable implants, more capsular contracture, and more difficult imaging of the breast with mammography.

Seattle Breast Implants Incision Sites

To permit the smallest possible incision, the breast implant is typically inserted empty, and then filled with saline. You should discuss with your plastic surgeon, the pros and cons for the incision site specifically recommended for you. There are three common incision sites: under the arm (axillary), around the nipple (periareolar), or within the breast fold (inframammary).

If the incision is made under the arm, the surgeon may use a probe fitted with a miniature camera, along with minimally invasive (very small) instruments, to create a pocket for the breast implant.

Periareolar

This incision is most concealed, but is associated with a higher likelihood of inability to successfully breast feed, as compared to the other incision sites.

Inframammary

This incision is less concealed than periareolar and associated with less difficulty than the periareolar incision site when breast feeding.

Axillary

This incision is less concealed than periareolar and associated with less difficulty than the periareolar incision site when breast feeding.

Umbilical/endoscopic

This incision site has not been studied and is not recommended.

Dr David Stephens MD, Plastic Surgeon - Providing services in botox, facelifts, liposuction and breast reduction, augmentation and implants to the areas of Bellevue and Seattle, Washington.