The latest options for breast implants and surgical techniques make modern breast augmentation more advanced and better for patients than the surgery ever has been before. There are many advantages to this procedure, including the fact that it can enhance your appearance if you feel that your breasts are too small or asymmetrical. It can restore fullness to breasts that have lost volume because of weight fluctuations or pregnancy, and—of course—it gives your breasts a new and improved appearance. Many patients considering the procedure also want to know: Do breast implants feel natural to the touch? Our Chicago-based Dr. John Q. Cook commonly gets asked this question by patients who are thinking about breast augmentation.
The goal for this procedure is to improve the breasts in a natural looking way while also boosting confidence and self-image for patients following the procedure. If you’re curious about whether other people will be able to tell that you’ve had breast implants, here’s what you should know.
Most individuals believe that the best types of breast implants are the ones that look and feel as realistic as possible, as opposed to implants you can spot from across the room. In addition to size, the shape and proportions of breasts need to be adjusted in order for them to mimic the appearance of natural breasts as closely as possible. Certain types of breast augmentation techniques and implants will give you that more realistic look and feel.
Many patients feel that silicone implants feel more like natural breast tissue than saline ones. Silicone implants with a gel consistency that mimics the natural breast structure are often considered ideal for that reason. Patients with a good amount of natural breast tissue may also want to consider saline implants. Some patients feel that the saline Ideal Implant has a more natural feel that regular saline implants.
So much depends on the natural breast structure. In general, the more natural breast tissue a patient has, the less noticeable will be the implant, regardless of gel or saline.
Under-the-muscle placement of the implants creates a more gradual, natural-looking slope to the breasts, particularly in thinner patients. The muscle helps to soften the appearance of the implant, especially for people who don’t have much existing breast tissue. Fat transfer is another technique that can correct any imperfections and allow the implants to sit in a more natural way. Techniques for softening the more obvious lines of an implant’s edge can also help the augmented breast to feel more natural to the touch. If there is a good amount of natural tissue in the upper breast, some athletic patients prefer to have the implant above the pec muscle.
If you want to get more answers to implant-related questions, contact Dr. John Q. Cook from the Whole Beauty®Institute. You can call us at 312-751-2112 (Chicago Gold Coast Office), 847-446-7562 (North Shore (Winnetka) Office), or submit a contact form to request a consultation.