Breast Augmentation: Cost, Reviews, Photos

Either you prefer silicone vs. saline is up to you, after you know the pros and cons of each. Being a mother, and having undergone the breast growth during your pregnancy and lactation period (if you lactated) means that your body has already made enough space, skin has been stretched, and now the only thing to do is fill in the space that’s left behind.

Giving that you have apparently, from the pics, a relatively wide rib cage I would go for high profile implants instead of the new trend of extra high profile, so it fills more your breast, without adding so much frontal projection, but size depends on your expectation in final volume, although with the amount of excess skin that you have, you can go for a bigger implant. As for saline, I personally feel, and most plastic surgeons feel the same way, that it does not give you the best projection and shape.

Cohesive gel implants are much better, they give the best cleavage and are just as safe, given the amount of experience acquired over the years, but as I told you before, it would be your choice. (Jose Leon, MD, Dominican Republic Plastic Surgeon)

I do agree you appear to have little parenchyma (breast tissue) to cover any implant rippling or scalloping which typically develops more prominently with saline implants. I would recommend silicone for this reason. Your size estimates should be adequate for a long lasting result, i.e., not too big. Either implant will cause additional weight which may affect your running – i.e., neither is better in this regard. (John Michael Thomassen, MD, Fort Lauderdale Plastic Surgeon)

Am I a good candidate for saline?

As long as you understand the pros and cons, the implant choice is yours to make. Ripple in saline submuscular implants is primarily on the lower side, and breast fold where the cover is thinner. Though a silicone gel might ripple less, with thin cover and a full implant the gel implant might show through as well. Ask about cost, and implant maintenance as well and make an informed choice. (Peter E. Johnson, MD, Chicago Plastic Surgeon)

Breast Augmentation with thin breast tissue

I would recommend you go with silicone as well. There would be too much rippling with a saline device. (Vishnu Rumalla, MD, Dallas Plastic Surgeon)

Saline implants with thin breast tissues

The choice of the implant fill is ultimately one that you have to be comfortable with. Thin breast tissues don’t disguise the implant as well, and saline filled implants tend to ripple more. As a result, this rippling will be easier to see with this implant than if you choose a silicone implant. The fact that the implant pushes on the breast tissues from below causes further thinning of the overlying breast tissue.

So, this rippling may become even more noticable over time. Silicone implants tend to feel more natural than silicone. Another option if you are concerned about the conventional silicone devices is to look into a cohesive silicone gel device. They have the lowest tendency to ripple of any of these devices. They have a very favorable safety profile versus other implants, but you won’t get as much upper pole fullness (cleavage) as with a round implant and require a larger incision for insertion. Just something else to consider with your plastic surgeon. (Erik Hoy, MD, Newark Plastic Surgeon)

Saline vs. Silicone

It appears from your photos that you are likely a good candidate for breast augmentation. Given your thin tissue, I would tend to agree with your PS with respect to his/her recommendation for silicone gel implants. Given your thin tissue, saline implants may precipitate increased rippling. (C. Bob Basu, MD, FACS, Houston Plastic Surgeon)

I think you need to listen to the advice of your surgeon, but in the end, the decision between saline and silicone should be your decision. While I think that silicone implants look and feel more natural, saline implants are still a good option for many patients, depending on their goals. I am an avid runner and also a pacer for a running group in Columbus.

I also have several patients who run distance with both saline and silicone implants. From this experience, I think there are pros and cons to each implant, but both should still be options which will allow you to continue running without pain. If you are running in a race this fall, I think you need to make sure to time your surgery properly so as to not affect your training schedule. As for size, I think that choosing an implant based on profile and base width is a better way to come up with the right size implant for you. It is hard to tell you if 330-360 cc implants are the right implant or not without an exam. I hope this helps. There is also more information for runners considering plastic surgery on my website and through my newsletter. Let me know if you need any more information. (Jason Brett Lichten, MD, Columbus Plastic Surgeon)

Running with large implants can be painful

Saline and silicone implants weight the same, so there is not a difference as to how they typically feel with running.

Patients who are runners generally do not like having large breasts, so you may want to rethink the size; it really depends on what is more important to you.

Silicone implants have the advantage in patients with little breast tissue of less rippling and more natural feel but the disadvantage of a little longer incision, higher cost, slightly higher risk of capsular contracture and they are more difficult to tell if they have ruptured compared to saline implants. Be sure to see a board certified plastic surgeon. (James McMahan, MD, Columbus Plastic Surgeon)

Saline-filled vs. silicone gel-filled breast implants

I’m not aware of any differences for runners. For smooth surface, round implants, and under the pectoralis muscle (the standard), here’s the breakdown:

Major advantage of saline-filled breast implants is that they tell you when and if they need to be replaced and there are no health issues involved with this. Minor advantages of saline-filled implants are that they cost less than half of gel-filled implants, can be put in with an incision about 1/2 the size of a gel-filled implant, and they allow for a narrow range of fill variation. (Gel-filled implants have a fixed volume. Saline filled implants do have to be filled properly). Major advantages of the silicone gel-filled implant is that they feel more natural where you can feel them (i.e. no difference in appearance or where you can’t feel them). This is generally a patient issue and not for others.

Minor advantages of the gel-filled implant: none. Based on your photos I would say you may be able to feel the implant somewhat in the lower pole of your breast but if the implant is properly sized, positioned, filled and healed this could be done through a 2 cm incision in the center of the inframammary crease with a nice looking result. (Scott L. Replogle, MD, Boulder Plastic Surgeon)

Silicone vs. Saline

I think type of implant is truly a personal decision. There are good and bad points to each type of implant. The good things about saline are that the scar can be a bit smaller since it comes flat and then is filled up inside the pocket; it is less expensive; and if it ruptures for some reason, the salt water simply gets absorbed in your body – you would know right away because that side just goes flat (this can be good and bad). The good part about saline is that it looks and feels much more natural, especially in someone who is thin with a small amount of breast tissue, like yourself. Also, silicone implants don’t get the rippling that saline implants can get – which is a give-away that an implant is there if you can see it. As for running, I don’t think either implants will bother you. Once you are healed, you should be able to do anything you currently do. (K. Roxanne Grawe, MD, Columbus Plastic Surgeon)

Am I a good candidate for saline? I have very little breast tissue. (photos)

You can have saline implants but you would get a better result with silicone implants because you have little breast tissue. Because you are a runner I would suggest not going aove 300cc’s. (George Lefkovits, MD, New York Plastic Surgeon)

Saline Or Silicone Breast Implants

In my opinion, saline implants often have more of a crinkly feel and can ripple more.

When they are covered by a reasonable amount of soft tissue this isn’t an issue. But in thin or athletic people the rippling can be visible and they can be felt.

Keep in mind that even if they are placed under the muscle they can still be felt – the pectoralis muscle is not very thick unless you do a lot of upper body conditioning. Also, the bottom of the implant hangs below the muscle and is easy to feel. I think for your particular body shape that you would be happier with the silicone implants.I do not think that the type of implant will make any difference in pain when you run. The type of covering (textured versus smooth) might make a difference but I have not heard of anyone who has a textured implant complain of pain when running (although I have placed many more smooth implants than textured). (Al Rosenthal, MD, Atlanta Plastic Surgeon)

Saline v. silicone

I would concur with the recommendation given by your surgeon. The gel implants feel more natural, and in the cases where the rippling is visible, they look more natural. Because the liquid is so much more viscous, athletes are less likely to feel fluid sloshing in the implants when running.

For a woman with a lot of breast tissue and small implants, this is less important. But your final size will be over half made up of implant, so the feel of the implant is more important. (Jourdan Gottlieb, MD, Seattle Plastic Surgeon)

Silicone gel is often times a better aesthetic choice and saline in thin patients.

I think aesthetically you would be much better served by silicone gel. You have very little subcutaneous fat beyond the breast. The size you want is also significant. (Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD, Atlanta Plastic Surgeon)

I prefer Natrelle silicone implants. As a runner – I would use the peri-areolar sub muscular placement-this will give you your best result and your best looking breast. (Thomas Trevisani, Sr., MD, Orlando Plastic Surgeon)

Silicone would be better.

I would advise you to go with silicone implants. You have very little breast tissue. Saline implants feel harder than the silicone. Silicone implants are safe based on numerous scientific studies. It’s worth the extra money to get the silicone implants. (Tae Ho Kim, MD, New York Plastic Surgeon)

Am I a good candidate for saline? I have very little breast tissue.

It s your choice to saline vs silicone. Yes size OK but I might go slightly larger in 350 to 375 range. (Darryl J. Blinski, MD, Miami Plastic Surgeon)