Silicone breast implants

In the latest forty years breast implants went through major and sophisticated changes. Nowadays silicone breast implants are integral part of breast augmentation. The final result of these innovations and development are several basic types of breast implants out of which has it’s specific characteristics in shape, material used and size. Careful evaluation is done in every case of every patient to find the most suitable implant type.

Silicone – basis for breast implants

Silicon is a material widely used in medicine and plastic surgery. It’s popularity is rooted in it’s unique structure and for human body it is very close compound. Every single breast implants have to go through demanding series of tests according to laws of healthcare and must have CE certificate and under these conditions they match the requirements of EU. Relationship between major cancer or autoimmune diseases was never confirmed. Silicon is so far very popular and wholesome. Not even in the period of pregnancy or breastfeeding has the silicone implant negative impact on the mother neither the fetus itself.

Types of silicone implants according to their form

Scaling silicone implants according to their form is a very basic method:

Anatomic breast implants
Asymmetric breast implants
Round breast implants

Anatomic breast implants

Anatomic breast implants are often used in breast plastic surgery. Those silicone implants have a very natural shape reminding the shape of a droplet. They can be even distinguished which one is going to be used on the left or right breast giving the breast after the surgery very close to natural look. These silicone implants are only applied under the muscle.

Asymmetric breast implants

Asymmetric silicone implants are distinguished by their shape on the left and right one. These breast implants are applied partly under the gland.

Round breast implants

Round breast implants were used ever since the very first breast augmentation surgeries with only change of its profile. Round silicone implants are recommended and implanted to woman that desire significant change in their breast look. This type of silicone implant can be implanted either under the muscle so as under the gland.

Types of breast implants according to their filling

Many different fillings were tested to fill in the breast implants in the past. Nowadays two types of fillings stayed which are used in breast plastic surgery. These are silicone and saline.

Another very common division of breast implants is according to their filling:

Breast implants filled with cohesive silicone gel
Breast implants filled with saline
Breast implants filled with combination of cohesive gel and saline

Breast implants filled with cohesive silicone gel

Advantage of these silicone implant is that the silicon is coherent in the implant which is a great benefit when the silicone implant is for example damaged or penetrated. These silicone implants keep their shape and are firm while on touch they are soft and look natural. They are used for breast augmentation in terms of several levels which is impossible with other implants. According to the latest research silicon is absolutely safe for human body and does not evoke any toxic or other reactions and is not objectionable while breastfeeding.

Breast implants filled with saline

Breast implants filled with saline are very rarely used in Czech Republic. It’s advantage is that they are filled with saline by an injection after they are implanted into breast in order to achieve desired breast size. Due to this only a very small and almost unnoticeable incision is done and possible size imbalance of both breastscan be easily resolved. Unfortunately the final result of these breast implants is not that positive. When the breast implant itself is damaged or penetrated saline will be absorbed by the body so the patient will notice very fast that something went wrong.

Breast implants filled with the combination of cohesive gel and saline

These breast implants also called Baker expanders that combine benefits from both of the liquids. Breast implants contain gel and after they are implanted into the body they can be adjusted through special valve on request of the patient. These breast implants are also not very often used in Czech Republic.

For every type of breast implants is true that :

Both round and anatomic breast implants differ in filling. They consist of silicone and elastomeric covers and its surface can be either textured or smooth. And even if both types of filling [silicone gel and saline] are suitable to use in breast plastic surgery new materials like soy gel or hydro gel are being tested in the breast plastic surgery use but they were not used yet.

Types of breast implants according to their surface

In most cases the surface of the breast implant is made of silicone with only exception of breast implants covered by a layer of titanium film or polyeurotan surface. The biggest disadvantage of polyeurotan surface was its significant accretion to vicinity and that was the reason to stop using this implant in breast augmentation.

Basic types of surfaces of breast implants are:

Smooth
Textured
Titanized

Smooth breast implant surface

Smooth surface of breast implants is advantageous because it will not adhere to the tissue and so the implants can move naturally which gives a very natural feeling to the woman. It is said that even on touch the breasts feel better because there are no rough places on the breast. Disadvantage of this breast implant is unfortunately higher occurrence of capsular complications. This surface is only used with round breast implants.

Textured breast implant surface

Breast implant with this type of surface is very smooth like velvet. The main focus is that the breast implant is able to grow in and does not move. Advantage is lesser risk of capsular contracture.

Titanized breast implant surface

Such surface is lesser used. Advantages of this surface are that it is well tolerated by human body and lesser risk of capsule occurrence. On the surface there are various pores of different sizes and shapes.

Types of breast silicone implants according to their profile

By the term profile it is meant the distance from the upper face of the silicone implant till the chest. If the chest of a woman is small implant with high profile would look completely unnatural and big. Because of this it is possible to choose suitable profile for every woman.

Basic types of profiles for breast silicone implants are:

Low
Medium
High
Extra high

Sizes of breast implants

Sizing of breast implants is done in millimetres. They are produced in the range of 100 ml up to 1000 ml out of which the mostly used sizes are between 200-300 ml. It is crucial, with the help of specialist to choose the most suitable one. When choosing the breast silicone implant it is recommended to pay attention to overall figure and its proportions, height, chest width, size of breast gland, size of pelvis and of course to wish of patient. As a rule size of the breast implant should not be bigger then size of the breast gland which will cover the implant. Only by respecting this rules final result will be smooth breast contour and the implant itself will not be visible.

Appearance of the breast implant

The silicone implant consists of outer casing made of polymerized silicone rubber which is quite flexible and very solid. In the casing is also inner layer thanks to which the silicone implant is more resistant to rupture and particle throughput. In the inner casing there is a soft consistent silicone gel or saline or combination of both. Silicon gel helps keeping the shape of the breast implant, prevents throughput of micro particles of silicone through the surface and prevents silicone leaking in case of the casing rupture. According to latest studies silicon does not causes any health problems and because of that it is the most used filling of breast implants.

Will the breast implants last for ever?

Durability and aesthetic point of view depends on many factors. One of the most important one is hormonal changes and care of the breast implant itself. Unfortunately not even perfectly managed recovery after the plastic surgery does not guarantee perfect breast look. It is vital to care about your new breast for the rest of your life but not even in this case there is a lifetime guarantee. Following reoperation can not be excluded neither following adjustment or implant replacement. This specially applies to period of breastfeeding and pregnancy.

Can the breast implants be destroyed?

Although breast implants are made out of very resistant material which downgrades the chances of being destroyed to minimum it is possible to damage them. One of the common phenomenon is that even after several years after the breast plastic surgery there might appear a capsule for yet unknown reason. If this happens it is necessary to remove it and replace the silicone implant.

Mentor brand breast implants

Our clinic Inter Clinis uses Mentor brand breast implants for several simple reasons. They provide lifetime warranty in case of faulty product. In such a case patient can select brand new type and size of silicone implant with only limitation that the new ones price should be similar the one that patient had implanted previously. The company also provides support of 1000 EURO on costs related to following reoperation within 10 years from the first breast augmentation which however does not include problems with capsule and change of the breast shape. In order to fulfil the complaint on faulty product the breast implants are thoroughly analyzed by experts.

Breast implants and their development

The history of breast implants is quite a wide topic since in the past so as in the present time there were always new materials being tested and analyzed in order to upgrade the implants characteristics.

Being so breast silicone implants can be divided into following chronological categories:

Silicon implants of the 1st generation
Silicone implants of the 2nd generation
Silicone implants of the 3rd and 4th generation
Silicone implants of the 5th generation

Silicone implants of the 1st generation

These silicone implants were developing mainly in the sixties of twentieth century. They were filled with viscous gel. The bottom side of the silicone implant had little projections on its surface to prevent the implant from moving. The disadvantage of these silicone implants was that there was high occurrence of scars and scarred complications. They are not being used anywhere in the world nowadays.

Silicone implants of the 2nd generation

These silicone implants were invented in the seventies of twentieth century. The major criteria here was better aesthetics. The filling of silicone implants changed into a lesser viscous gel and silicone cover was a bit thinner. With this generation of silicone implants problems like unsuitable durability of the breast implants, higher risk of rupture and omnipresent possibility of complications were occurring.

Silicone implants of the 3rd and 4th generation

3rd and 4th generation of breast implants was released in the eighties. Technology used to manufacture these silicone implants decreased the mobility or rotation of the implants and other common risks became of lesser problem. Also the silicone gel inside the breast implants was thickened which helped to prevent leaking. Also the durability was increased due to more resistant cover.

Silicone implants of the 5th generation

These silicone implants are the latest developed. They keep the shape perfectly and limit the risk of migration. These silicone implants are the reasons why these breast implants are the most usually used type nowadays.

Silicon breast implants vs. Health

Although silicone is widely used in health care and aesthetic plastic surgery nowadays some bad rumours still float around. It was not proven that for example silicone implants could possibly decrease the possibility to reveal breast cancer. The study done with the help of mammography equipment did not prove that more time would be needed in order to reveal breast cancer in any of its stages. In fact there are even mammography machines that were specially designed for woman with silicone implants. Also it was not proven truth that silicone helps the occurrence of autoimmune disease nor there is any evidence that relates silicone implants and rheumatism.

How to choose the right silicone implant?

For every patient different breast silicone implant is suitable. It is vital to pay special attention to the process of selections which is based on the patients chest anatomy. Then it is important to agree if the silicone implant will be placed under the breast muscle or under the breast gland. Other important factor is the ultimate believe to the surgeon that will be performing the plastic surgery. His personal experience, breast implants preferences and aesthetic feeling are vital factor.

Interesting fact about breast implants

Every silicone implant has its own passport – document with information about number and size of the breast implant. This passport is given to every patient after the surgery is done.

Want more information about breast augmentation?

If you have any questions regarding breast augmentation do not hesitate and contact our clinic Inter Clinc via the contact form bellow or place your question in the online help section and we will answer it as soon as possible. For more information read through the “questions and answers” section where you can find replies to most frequently asked question or pay a visit to other sections regarding breast plastic surgery.