Gone are the days of worrying about breast implants that look obviously fake. In fact, the possibility of naturally stunning outcomes from breast augmentation is one of the reasons why it remains the most popular cosmetic surgery today. In the hands of a skilled and experienced plastic surgeon, breast implants can definitely look and feel natural.
At our San Francisco practice, our approach to breast augmentation surgery is more than just about breast enlargement. For us, breast implant surgery is a delicate surgery that requires artistry and technical finesse to help accomplish natural, beautiful breasts.
During personal consultations, it’s not uncommon for patients to ask - Will breast implants really feel completely natural?
The answer is a resounding yes.
But here’s the deal — it pays to do your research and carefully plan for your surgery before making decisions such as your implant type, size, incision type, and even your surgeon of choice.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the different factors that you need to evaluate meticulously in order get the most natural feel (and not just look!) from breast augmentation.
How to Have Breast Implants As If You Haven’t Had Anything Done
To help you gain a solid understanding of the different factors that can potentially affect how natural your breasts will feel after breast augmentation surgery, meet one of our previous patients, Nicole.
Nicole is a neuroscience Ph.D. student who desired larger breasts. However, the thought of having fake-looking breasts has been stopping her from getting surgery. During her consultation with 77 Plastic Surgery's Dr. Fan, she made it perfectly clear that her top priority is getting results that will look and feel natural. In short, she was curious if it’s possible to have breast implants yet nobody would know for certain that she had the procedure done.
She was naturally thin and had small yet nicely shaped, breasts. After a thorough assessment and careful evaluation, Dr. Fan found her to be an excellent candidate for breast augmentation.
To help Nicole accomplish beautiful, natural, and proportional breasts, Dr. Fan recommended the following in her personalized breast augmentation surgery plan:
- medium sized, smooth, round silicone gel breast implant
- under the muscle placement through the armpit
The rationale behind Dr. Fan's recommendations to Nicole is explained in detail below.
As for Nicole’s breast augmentation outcomes?
Following surgery, Nicole had an uneventful recovery and was stoked with her stunning yet subtle breast augmentation results! When she is both in and out of clothes, nobody can tell for certain whether she had implants or not. Most of all, her underarm scars healed well and was virtually invisible.
What to Consider to Have Breast Implants that Look and Feel Natural
Based on Nicole’s story and breast augmentation success, the following decisions behind your breast implant surgery are worth considering if you want to have implants that look and feel natural:
Consider the right implant type.
Due to its viscous nature, silicone breast implants are ideal to get the most natural look and feel. Silicone implants are the softest and are considered the most natural feeling implant available today.
Saline implants, on the other hand, are filled with sterile salt water. While saline implants are considered safer in the case of an implant rupture, they could feel unnatural and are more likely to wrinkle as saline water shifts around the implant.
Be mindful of implant placement.
Your breast augmentation outcomes will look and feel natural when there’s enough natural tissue that covers the implant. For this reason, under-the-muscle placement (or placing the implant partially behind the chest muscle) is recommended if you don’t have enough natural breast tissue to cover the implant.
However, it’s also possible to have the most natural feel from over-the-muscle placement if there’s a perfect balance between the size of the breast implant and the amount of your existing natural breast tissue. Some women notice that over-the-muscle placement feels more natural for them because they can't feel the implants when the chest muscles contract.
Choose your implant size wisely.
Every woman’s body is different so the ideal implant size for your best friend may not be the ideal for you. For the most natural feel, it’s extremely important to opt for an implant size that fits within your body and the elasticity of your tissues.
Choosing an implant that is too large for your body can feel and appear overly firm. Meanwhile, your breasts will remain under-filled and can appear misshapen or even droopy if you opt for implants that are too small for your body frame.
That said, try not to rush in choosing the right implant size for you. A good surgeon should help you choose the right size for your body and goals based on careful physical assessment and thoughtful evaluation. Some plastic surgeons use visual aids, like 3D computer simulations, to help you get a clear picture of how different sizes will look like on you.
A Special Note on the Amount of Your Existing Natural Breast Tissues
If you’ve got a substantial amount of natural breast tissue, your breast implants will quickly fit into the natural shape of your breasts. This will help you accomplish the natural feel you’re aiming for sooner than those with lacking natural breast tissues.
Another factor worth considering as to how soon you can feel normal again with your new implants is your body’s ability to make scar tissue and form a capsule around the implant. If you’re the type who tends to develop thicker scars (and thicker capsule), it may take longer for you to return to feeling normal with your new implants.
The good news is you can help develop soft tissue capsule around the breast implant by slowly massaging your implants around a week after surgery. When a soft tissue capsule forms around your implants, your implant can move freely with your breast and will consequently feel more natural.
Are You Ready for Breast Implant Results That Look and Feel Natural?
Curious about the most important tip in getting the most beautiful overall breast profile that is natural in terms of proportion, balance, and feel?
Find real breast augmentation surgeons and steer clear of the fake ones.
Who are these real surgeons? Board certified plastic surgeons like Dr. Fan are surgeons who are qualified to perform breast augmentation surgery. To become a board certified plastic surgeon, a surgeon must successfully complete several years of training specifically in plastic surgery, pass a rigorous series of plastic surgery exams, successfully perform hundreds of plastic surgery procedures, and adhere to a high standard of professional ethics.
A face-to-face consultation with real breast augmentation surgeons like Dr. Fan guarantees the likelihood of stunning and natural results from breast implants. Besides reviewing before-and-after breast augmentation photos, a consultation will help you assess a surgeon's approach towards patients like you.
Get the ball rolling today by taking this online self-evaluation quiz to see if you're a good candidate for breast augmentation.
