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Aesthetics
Medical Aesthetics
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The choice is yours
Women seek breast enhancement surgery for many personal reasons, including:
- Reshaping their breasts
- Enlarging their breasts
- To restore their breasts following significant life events such as child bearing
- Balancing breasts that differ in size or shape
As every woman is different, and will have different desires and needs, there are many breast implant options available today and this information will help you to understand these options and which one might be right for you.
Having breast enhancement will be a very personal decision and the benefits will be personal to you too. Some women say that they have improved self confidence and personal satisfaction, a maintained or increased sense of wellbeing, and feel satisfied with their appearance. There are various factors that influence satisfaction and these might not be the same for everyone.
What is a breast implant?
As every woman is different and has different desires, there are many implants to suit each individual need. A breast implant consists of a silicone envelope that is filled with either silicone gel or saline (salt-water) solution. Implant shapes are either round or teardrop shaped (anatomical), the surfaces are either textured or smooth, and they also come in a large range of projections and sizes. The different options can help to achieve the result you desire. Your surgeon can tell you more about the different types of implants and will help you choose the implant that’s right for you.
Understanding your breasts
Your breasts are made up of fatty tissue, glandular tissue, milk ducts, blood vessels, nerves and lymph ducts, covered with skin. Behind the breast lies the pectoralis major muscle. A breast implant can be placed either partially under or over this muscle, depending on the thickness of your breast tissue and its ability to adequately cover the breast implant. It is the fatty tissue that makes your breast feel soft and gives it its shape. The shape also depends on the elasticity of the skin.
Types of implants available
Shape options
Achieving the shape you desire is very important and can be influenced by the choice of the implant. Some implants are round, while others are shaped more like a teardrop, closely resembling the natural shape of a breast (these are sometimes called anatomical implants).
Round implants:
In general round implants will make the upper part of your breasts fuller.
Anatomical implants:
These are shaped more naturally, like a teardrop and follow the body’s natural contour. This can give your breasts a more natural shape.
Size & projection options
As well as considering the shape of the implant, the projection and size is also important in achieving the look you desire. Allergan implants come in a wide range of projections and sizes so that the implants can be tailored specifically to your needs. Discussing what you have in mind with your surgeon is important, so that he or she can take your expectations into account when the implant size and shape is selected.
Limiting factors
The implant size you desire may be limited by your existing breast tissue characteristics. For example the elasticity of your skin, or the amount of breast tissue you have, may keep you from increasing your breast size as much as you want. Implants that are too large for the quantity of skin and breast tissue may remain visible below the skin and this may spoil the effect that you want to achieve. Furthermore, you may face a greater risk of surgical complications. You should ask your surgeon to explain any limitations during your consultation.
Filler options
There are two types of implant fillers: silicone implants are pre-filled from the manufacturer, and saline implants are filled during and/or after surgery. Each has advantages and disadvantages.
Silicone:
Newer types of implants come pre-filled with a silicone gel that has a shape retaining structure, and come in a variety of cohesivity levels. This means some gels will offer a firmer result, where other gels allow the breast to feel softer to touch. You should discuss the best option with your surgeon. Silicone is considered to be safe and is used widely in the pharmaceutical and food industries, and in many medical devices such as heart valves and suture materials. Silicones are even found in lipsticks, suntan creams, deodorants and baby-care products. In addition to its proven safety, the consistency of silicone provides a very natural feel to the breast. The silicone used in breast implants is a cohesive form which gives a natural feel to the breast and should not leak due to its thick consistency. Benefits of silicone implants include giving a more natural form than other implants.
Saline:
Saline implants are filled with a salt water solution during surgery. A disadvantage to saline is the ‘slushy’ consistency. There are also less options available with saline implants.
Types of implants available
Implant shell options:
Implant envelopes may be smooth or textured. Your surgeon will discuss which option is best for you. Over the years, the design, construction and production process of breast implants have been improved with regard to the durability and life expectancy of the implant. Allergan implants are manufactured under strict quality control guidelines to greatly reduce the possibility of these complications. All Allergan round and anatomical shaped implants also have a special barrier layer designed to reduce silicone diffusion. Allergan textured implants have a unique texture designed to maintain implant positioning and promote tissue adherence which may help to reduce capsular contracture.
Choose the right implant
INSPIRA™ Style 410 :
Allergan provide a wide range of implants. You should decide, together with your surgeon, which implant would suit you best to achieve the look you desire. During your consultation, your surgeon will take some measurements and will consider breast width, height and projection to help with the decision on implant selection. Many surgeons also have tools to help you understand what your breasts will look like following your surgery.
Life expectancy of breast implants
It is important to remember that breast implants have a limited lifetime and may not necessarily be in place for life. The implant may have to be removed or replaced, which may require revision surgery. On average, the expected lifetime of a breast implant is between 10 and 20 years, depending on many individual factors. Various factors, including the type of implant inserted, the type of surgery you have, injury to the breast, and excessive repetitive compression of the implant may impact the longevity of the implants and replacement should be considered. Personal choice or complications other than rupture may necessitate removal of the device even though it is intact. In on-going studies, the durability of silicone filled implants is being assessed. The implant rupture rate has been found to be between less than 1.0% (lowest reported rate) after 6 years, to 8.0% after 11 years. The durability of saline implants was assessed via the implant deflation rate and was found to be 10.5% after 10 years, for both enhancement and reconstruction implants. Allergan are committed to providing the best products for you and are committed to ongoing research and development to ensure long term safety for all patients.
Peace of mind with Allergan implants
Warranty:
For peace of mind all Allergan implants are covered by a replacement policy, which will replace free of charge any implant that needs to be changed due to loss of shell integrity resulting in rupture or any other product defect confirmed by the manufacturer, within 10 years of implantation. You should ask your surgeon for further details of the Allergan Warranty Program.
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