Breast implants

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Breast augmentation - Breast implants
Breast implants
   Types of breast implants
 
Breast augmentation surgery
Breast augmentation recovery
Breast augmentation complication
 

Types of breast implants

Basic types of breast implants by shape:

  • round (they can be placed either under the gland or under the muscle)

  • anatomic -teardrop (they are placed partially under the muscle)

  • asymmetric (Different implant for each breast. They are always placed under the gland.)

Basic types of breast implants by filler:

  • silicone cohesive - silicone gel (its advantage is the silicone cohesiveness inside the implant)

  • silicone liquid (it is not used anymore)

  • saline

  • combined so-called Baker’s expanders (They contain silicone gel and are filled with saline through a special valve. They can be used, for example in surgeries for transsexuals.)

Nowadays novelties in the implant fillings field occur regularly. Various substances are being tried and used as fillings, including soya-gel and hydrogel. These new types of implants aren't in regular use yet.

Basic types of breast implants by surface:

  • smooth (as a rule they are not used in the Czech Republic)

  • textured (the implant has a “velvet surface” with the idea it will grow into the breast and not move inside the breast. These implants have a smaller risk of capsular contracture creation.)

  • polyurethane

  • titanium (they are not commonly used, but have a good tolerance within the body)

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Basic types by profile:

  • moderate

  • high

The size of the breast implants is indicated in mililitres. The choice doesn’t depend on size but on dimension. The selection depends on many factors, such as the woman's figure, height, width of her chest, figure proportion, size of pelvis, size of mammary gland and of course, the patient's wishes. The most popular sizes in the Czech Republic are 200 – 300ml. (Implants from about 100ml to 1000ml are available.)

To see what size might be right for you, use a plastic bag that can be filled with liquid or boiled rice. Put it into your bra to help you choose the correct implant size.

Silicone breast implants

Most commonly used brands of silicon breast implants are:

  • McGhan/Inamed

  • Mentor

  • Polytech

  • Eurosilicon

All implants have their own passport – a document that states the number and size of the implant. This passport is given to every patient after the surgery.

What does the breast implant look like?

The implant is formed with an outer pocket made from polymerized silicone gum, which is very firm and elastic. The pocket contains one more inner layer, which guarantees a higher resistance to rupture and the minimum permeability of particles. The surface can be smooth, although at present implants with textured surface are preferred. They have pores of a certain size and depth and now also have a smaller risk of capsular contracture creation. A titanium film may be on the surface of the implant (which lends itself to good tolerance with the body) or polyurethane. Inside the pocket there is soft cohesive silicone gel, saline, combination of both or even one of the other substances mentioned above. The cohesiveness of silicone gel particles enables the implant to keep its shape, lowers the risk of permeability of silicone micro-particles through the pocket and avoids the possible leakage of silicone in the event the cover ruptures. The silicone gel filled implant is used most often because of the reduced harmfulness risk on the body from silicone.

Frequently Asked Questions