How Real Do Implants Feel?
Do implants feel different from natural breasts? Our Philadelphia and Main Line-based team at Cross Medical Group often hears this question from patients who are considering breast augmentation for themselves.
As a common plastic surgery procedure, breast augmentation offers several benefits, such as improving volume and curves if you feel like your breasts are too small, as well as correcting asymmetry. The surgery can also restore the shape of the breasts if they have lost volume because of weight fluctuations or pregnancy.
Many women choose to have breast augmentation as part of an overall plan to transform their bodies and improve their health. In addition to getting implants, they might also decide to build muscle and lose weight with lifestyle changes.
There are several factors that patients will need to consider before they have breast augmentation. The implants themselves are made up of silicone shells with either silicone gel or saline (sterile salt water) inside of them. Modern breast implants are extremely durable devices, but something that hasn’t changed is the fact that patients must consider the way implants can be seen and felt beneath the skin when they’re deciding which implant type is best for them.
All implants feel soft and supple. Usually, they will feel like a part of you within a few months.
With this in mind, however, many patients feel that silicone implants have a more natural feel, especially when compared to their saline-filled counterparts.
Regardless of the type of implants you get, you will very likely be able to feel them in areas where your skin and underlying tissues are thinnest, such as the sides of the chest and below the breasts. The placement of your implants can also affect the way they look and feel. An under-the-pectoral muscle placement tends to feel more natural because there is more tissue between the implant and the breast itself. This placement also creates a more natural, gradual slope at the top of the implants.
Most of all, Dr. Kevin Cross and Dr. Jackie Lyons emphasize that you should get the implants that you most prefer. If one type looks and feels most natural to you, remember that these are your breasts and your implants, so you get to decide. Patients who want augmentation without implants an even choose fat grafting as an alternative solution.
The Cross Medical Group team can answer more questions and address any concerns you have about breast augmentation. Call us at (215) 561-9100 or submit a contact form to request a consultation and discuss breast surgery.
