There are many reasons why women seek out breast augmentation. Improved self-esteem, the desire for a younger and more vital look, and returning to a pre-pregnancy figure can all be factored in the decision. But when evaluating any procedure, it’s important that you fully understand the terms that are used. You may be asking, “What is the difference between a breast augmentation and breast implants?” Plastic and Cosmetic Center of South Texas, located in San Antonio, TX, can answer all of your questions about breast augmentation vs. breast implants.
What Is Breast Augmentation?
Breast augmentation is a general term for any cosmetic surgical procedure that enhances the size of your breasts. Breast augmentation is one of the most popular body-shaping cosmetic procedures in the United States. Why? Many women simply want larger, fuller breasts. Others seek out breast augmentation to correct an uneven bosom, or because they’ve lost one or both breasts to cancer or some other trauma.
Thanks to advances in breast augmentation techniques over the past decade, these surgeries are now achieving results that look and feel more natural than ever.
Will Augmentation Make My Breasts Perkier?
Breast augmentation enhances the size of the breasts, making them look larger and fuller, but it doesn’t lift the breasts. If perkier breasts are what you’re after, a different procedure, known as a breast lift, may be the better choice for you.
As its name implies, a breast lift repositions, lifts, and reshapes the breasts. Breast lifts are sometimes sought out by women who have sagging breasts after a pregnancy or following extreme weight loss. Combining a breast augmentation procedure with a breast lift is yet another option that some women choose.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Breast Augmentation?
Breast augmentation candidates should be non-smoking women who are generally in good health and have a stable weight. Patients should not be pregnant or breastfeeding. Beyond those general health parameters, any woman who wants larger breasts—either for improved physical appearance or to correct uneven breasts or other issues—is a good candidate for augmentation.
What Other Types of Breast Surgery Do You Perform?
Breast surgery usually falls into one of three categories: augmentation, reduction, and reconstruction. Breast reduction surgery helps give the body a more proportional look while also easing the discomfort and back pain women with overly large breasts sometimes experience. Reconstruction surgery is most often performed on women who have lost one or both breasts due to mastectomy.
The goal of reconstructive surgery is usually to restore the breast, giving it as normal and natural an appearance as possible. Our practice performs all three types of breast surgery. We also offer a full line of other body-sculpting services.
Breast Augmentation vs Breast Implants: How Do They Compare?
The terms breast augmentation and breast implant are sometimes used interchangeably, which can be confusing to patients. But the difference between breast augmentation vs. breast implants is quite simple: Breast augmentation is the name of a category of procedures that enlarge the breasts, while breast implants are medical devices that are surgically inserted to create new volume for augmentation.
What Are Breast Implants?
A breast implant is a prosthetic that is inserted into the breast to enhance its size. Breast implants are one of the more common types of breast augmentation.
How Do Adjustable Implants Work?
Our practice offers adjustable breast implants, which allow the patient to have the implants increased or decreased in size between 3 and 6 months after the surgery. Traditional implants require a complete replacement if the patient wants to try a different size, but adjustable implants allow the volume to be adjusted during the months following the surgery.
Adjustable implants have a valve that can be left in for 6 months after surgery, allowing saline fluid to be injected or withdrawn, which adjusts the size of the implant. Many women find that selecting an implant size can be tricky. Adjustable implants are a great option for women who want larger breasts but who aren’t sure what size of implant will look and feel the best on their frame.
What If I Want Larger Breasts but Not Implants?
There is another breast augmentation option available for women who want a larger bust but don’t like the idea of a silicone, saline, or gummy bear implant. Fat graft augmentation surgery, also known as fat transfer augmentation, uses fat from your own body to enlarge the breasts.
This technique is also sometimes referred to as natural breast enhancement or natural breast augmentation. During your consultation, we can discuss the various augmentation options and help determine the best procedure for you.
Can Breast Implants Resolve Sagging?
Aging women often experience sagging breasts. Sometimes this occurs after pregnancy and breastfeeding. But even women who haven’t had children notice sagging as a part of the aging process. Breast implants cannot reduce sagging breasts. However, a breast lift procedure can be used to address sagging, restoring perkiness and giving you a more youthful figure.
What Can I Expect During My Initial Consultation?
The consultation is the first step. We’ll talk with you about the breast size you’re aiming for and how you’d like your new bust to look. We’ll review the different types and sizes of implants you have to choose from, and you’ll be given the opportunity to try on different implant sizes to help with your decision.
If you have asymmetrical breasts—meaning one breast has a different size or shape from the other—we may suggest that you use a different implant size in each breast to even things out. We’ll also talk with you about your ideal breast profile, which refers to how much your breasts point out from the chest.
What Can I Expect From the Breast Implant Procedure?
Breast implant surgery is usually done on an outpatient basis. Most patients are under general anesthesia, meaning they’re asleep during the procedure. The surgery usually lasts around three hours.
Who Will Perform My Procedure?
Dr. Thomas Jeneby is a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon. He earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. Dr. Jeneby was inducted into the top 10% honor society in his medical school class and was medical school honor society president (A.O.A. president). From there, Dr. Jeneby entered the prestigious University of Pennsylvania Ivy League, Plastic Surgery division, for a six-year combined program. There were only two slots per year for 1,000 prime candidates. Dr. Jeneby has been in practice since 2002 and has performed thousands of breast, tummy, nose, eyes, and face procedures.
Our San Antonio clinic has been accredited by the prestigious Joint Commission for Office-Based Surgery Centers, and Dr. Jeneby is a Diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
What Are the Main Types of Breast Implants?
There are three main types of breast implants: silicone, saline, and gummy bear.
Silicone
Silicone implants are the most commonly used, and advancements in these prosthetics over the past decade have made them look, move, and feel more like natural breasts. These implants are essentially silicone shells filled with silicone gel. Many women praise the soft and natural feel of silicone implants.
Saline
Saline implants are popular among patients who need to avoid silicone for medical reasons or who prefer implants constructed with natural materials. Saline implants, as their name implies, are filled with a sterile saline solution. These implants can be filled with varying amounts of saline solution, which influences the feel, firmness, and shape of the breast.
Gummy Bear
Gummy bear implants are the newest entrant on the market. Gummy bear implants are teardrop in shape and are made of a thicker silicone gel. Because of this, they are considered form-stable implants, meaning they retain their form even after an implant rupture.
What Are the Benefits of Breast Implants?
More and more women are turning to breast implants. That’s because this procedure offers a number of different benefits, including convenience, a range of implant sizes and shapes to select from, and predictable results.
Convenience
Breast augmentation involving implants is done on an outpatient basis, meaning you won’t have to worry about an overnight hospital stay. It’s a good idea to make arrangements to have someone take you home after the procedure, which involves general anesthesia.
Added Volume and Curves
The breast volume that an implant offers gives most patients a more curvaceous look, and many women report feeling more feminine and voluptuous after receiving implants. Whether you’re looking to fill out a bikini top or simply want your everyday street clothes to have more shape, breast implants can help you achieve your goal of a curvier physique.
Even Out Asymmetrical Breasts
It’s not uncommon for a woman to have breasts that are different in shape and size. Sometimes the difference is modest and barely noticeable. On other women, the discrepancy is enough to be noticeable and to cause bathing suits and other articles of clothing to fit improperly. Our augmentation and implant procedures can resolve the embarrassing imbalances associated with asymmetrical breasts and restore proportion to your figure.
A Range of Sizes to Select From
During your consultation, you’ll be given different implant sizes and shapes to choose from. Many patients are surprised by just how many options are available and are pleased to learn that this is not a one-size-fits-all procedure. Whether you just want a little more volume or you want to go up several cup sizes, breast implant surgery can help you achieve the look you’re after. This is a key aspect of breast augmentation vs. breast implants: While natural breast augmentation with fat grafting is best for going up by a single cup size, breast implants are usually the most effective option for women who want to increase their breast size by two cups or more.
Predictable Results
Because we’ll spend plenty of time with you reviewing options during your consultation, you’ll know exactly what to expect in terms of post-surgery results. And if you opt for adjustable implants, there will be the option to adjust your size up or down in the months following the procedure. One of the biggest benefits of breast implant surgery is that patients can specify the size, shape, and breast profile they want. You can rest assured that the results of your breast implant surgery are controllable and predictable.
Satisfied Patients
Millions of women have had breast implant surgery, and patient satisfaction with this procedure is very high. Most patients are excited to jump into life with their new look after surgery. Many patients report a boost in self-confidence, body image, and sexual satisfaction. Patients also say they feel more comfortable in their own skin after receiving implants.
Long-Lasting Results
Breast implants can last up to 10 years, which means you’ll be able to enjoy the results well into the future.
Our Practice
Interested in learning more about breast augmentation vs. breast implants? Excited about the possibilities that breast augmentation can open up for you? Call the Plastic and Cosmetic Center of South Texas, located in San Antonio, TX, today. We offer a complete line of services in our comfortable state-of-the-art clinic. We are eager to help you take the first step toward fuller and more beautiful breasts.
