In our image conscious society it is even more important that
women have the right and the ability to change the size of their
breasts. Women throughout history have had to deal with what
nature gave them (or did not give them) or what trauma or disease took
away. In 1963 the first breast implant was successfully
performed right here in Houston and thus giving women the ability to
take control of their own bodies and self image.
In
1963 the first implants were made of silicone. Just a couple
of years later the first saline implants were on the market.
Interestingly these two implant types are still the most medically
accepted implants today.
Sizes
Implants
come in a variety of sizes, shapes and textures. Most women
first think of size. Do they want to be a full C cup or a
D? Unfortunately implants don’t come in cup sizes because the
final bra size is a function of both the implant size and your natural
breast size. So, manufacturers measure size by the cubic
centimeter (cc). Sizes range from 25 cc (just a teaspoon) to
a full 700 cc.
Profiles:
Then
there are three different profiles: low, moderate, &
high. Each gives the breasts a different degree of
projection. Again, the right projection is dependent on your
existing anatomy. This is why it is so important to insist
you have a board certified plastic surgeon with years of experience as
your surgeon. The wrong implant size or projection can
ultimately leave you unsatisfied with the final result. Most
any surgeon can safely implant a breast prosthesis but it takes a
highly trained and skill surgeon to know how to give a patient the look
they want.
Surfaces:
Last,
implants come in textured and smooth. Dr. Newall uses both
but the majority of his patients utilize the smooth implant.
It was thought that a textured implant has less incidents of capsular
contractures. Although the medical community has yet to draw
a consensus on this it is widely believed that a smooth implant placed
under the muscle is less likely to have a capsular contracture then a
textured implant place on top of the muscle. Another
advantage of the textured implant is that because of the texture it
will not rotate in the “pocket”. Thus, it can be made in a
tear drop shape with a distinct top and bottom. This gives a
more natural look. However the con to the textured implant is
that it is more likely to ripple. As you can see, there are
pros and cons to each type and the decision is a highly personal one
best left to discussion between you and Dr. Newall.
Safety of Silicone Implants:
In November of 2006 the FDA lifted the ban on silicone
implants. Silicone implants had been off the market since
1992 due to concerns of the effect of silicone on the body.
The general consensus among plastic surgeons at the time was that there
was not enough data to support the claim.
A
lot has changed since 1992. First, multiple studies were
performed with no conclusive evidence that silicone implants damaged
the health of women. Secondly, the manufacturing of silicone
implants has improved. Specifically in the development of the
silicone-gel implant, also known as the “gummy bear” implant due to its
similarity in feel to a gummy bear. Unlike older silicone
implants if the silicone-gel implant were to rupture the silicone will
not ooze or leak from its shell into the body.
Both
major plastic surgery societies support the FDA’s decisions and have
set up a joint website to help inform the public of the FDA’s ruling,
your implant choices, and safety information. Visit this
website at www.breastimplantsafety.org.
In
2007 almost 400,000 breast augmentation procedures were performed
according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Millions of women have safely undergone this procedure and millions of
more will. Dr. Newall invites you to view his extensive
before and after gallery. Dr. Newall does not charge for
consultations and invites you to make an appointment to visit him and
his wonderful staff for a consultation.
