Plastic Skin Surgery

Breast implant shape, texture and size

Written by Rex on May 8th, 2009

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 Allergan Medical 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.

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 breast implants shows no difference in the likelihood of developing capsular contracture with textured breast implants compared to smooth surfaced breast implant.