Breast Implants

Saline implants are filled with a sterile saline solution, like salt water. The solution is held within a silicone shell. They’re inserted empty, and then filled once they’re in place. These implants can be filled with different amounts of saline solution. This affects the feel, firmness, and shape of the breast. If a saline implant leaks, the solution will be absorbed and expelled by the body naturally.

Silicone gel-filled implants consist of a silicone outer shell filled with a silicone gel- a thick, sticky fluid that closely mimics the feel of human fat. Most women feel that silicone breast implants look and feel more like natural breast tissue. If a silicone-filled implant leaks, the gel will either stay in the shell or escape into the breast implant pocket. A leaking silicone-filled implant may or may not collapse. It rarely happens in modern version silicone implants. Patients choosing this type of implant should carry out more regular checks with their doctor compared with those on saline solution implants.

One common question that patients have before breast augmentation is, “What will my scars look like?” You’ll be glad to learn that Dr. Kim will use a surgical technique that places breast augmentation incisions so the resulting scars are easily hidden even to the patient herself. Depending on your anatomy and your desired outcome, Dr. Kim will use one of the following incision techniques to place your breast implants:

• Inframammary – This involves a short incision made in the crease underneath the breast, called the inframammary fold. This leaves a thin, 1.5 to 2.5 inch scar that is easily concealed within the crease. Advantages of this incision type include a wider access point, allowing a cosmetic surgeon to place larger silicone implants or gummy bear implants with precision. Therefore this type of incision is most commonly used.
• Peri-areolar – The incision is made around the outer edge of the areola, so the resulting scar is located within this natural transition in pigmentation. Cosmetic surgeons will often use this incision type if they are also performing a mild to moderate breast lift at the same time. Whenever there are needs for correction of the areola, differences in sizes and nipple has dropped.
• Trans-axillary – This involves a small incision made within the armpit, through which your cosmetic surgeon will place the breast implant using a specialized camera and instruments to ensure optimal placement. This leaves a small scar within the armpit but achieves a breast augmentation with no scar on the breast itself.
• Transumbilical – This technique involves an incision just above the belly button. Each breast implant is inserted through this incision and then brought up to the breast. Advantages of the transumbilical technique include a single scar with no scarring on the breast itself. However, this technique has less accessibility of breast pocket manual ability and cannot be done with silicone implants.