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Real Breasts Aren't Round
When I was in my second year of plastic surgery training, I was invited to a dinner where Dr. Scott Spear, an internationally recognized leader in surgery of the breast and Chairman of the Department of Plastic Surgery at Georgetown University Hospital, where I was training, was speaking about the yet-to-be-released at the time anatomically shaped breast implants.
Prior to 2012, the only shape of silicone breast implant available in the United States was round. Dr. Spear was involved in the development and study of anatomically shaped breast implants, implants that had a teardrop shape to better mimic a natural breast.
He opened his talk with the statement, “Real breasts aren't round.” To this day, that statement has stuck with me and has impacted the way I think about and approach breast implant selection, breast augmentation, and breast reconstruction surgery.
Such a simple statement could not be more true. Real breasts, in fact, are not round. They have a teardrop shape that is more tapered at the top and more full at the bottom to better mimic a natural breast. In my opinion, the major difference between round and shaped breast implants, once implanted, is that shaped breast implants provide a more natural, tapered look in the upper portion of the breast, while round implants give a fuller look in the upper portion of the breast.
So when choosing an implant for breast augmentation, I think it is important for a patient to think about what kind of look is desired. If you want a natural look, a shaped breast implant may be better for you. If you want a fuller look, a round breast implant may be better for you. Your plastic surgeon should be able to help guide you with this decision.
Aside from shaped vs. round, other decisions that need to be made in breast augmentation surgery include what type of implant fill material (silicone vs. saline), what type of implant surface (smooth vs. textured), what type of incision (in the fold underneath the breast, around the areola, or through the armpit), and where the implant will be placed (on top of the muscle, underneath the muscle, or dual-plane). It is important to discuss all these factors with your plastic surgeon to ensure that a personalized approach is utilized to meet your goals and objectives of the surgery.
If you are considering breast augmentation and desire a natural look, you should ask your plastic surgeon about shaped breast implants and choose a plastic surgeon with experience implanting shaped breast implants. These implants have characteristics that require specific pre-operative planning and technique in surgery. If special attention is not paid to these issues, it can lead to complications and the need for revision surgery. However, when anatomically shaped breast implants are chosen and implanted correctly, beautiful, natural results can be achieved.
