For some women, the decision to enhance the breasts is a straight-forward and easy one. They simply want larger breasts, which can be accomplished with the placement of saline or silicone gel implants. But there are various factors for patients to consider before breast augmentation surgery; making the best decisions prior to surgery will make the patient happier in the long run.

Advantages of Large Breast Implants

Many patients choose to have large-sized breast implants placed during surgery. Larger implants do offer some advantages, including:

• They can make the bustline visually distinctive. Some patients desire a more dramatic result. With large breast implants, the feminine curves are maximized: that means more cleavage and more volume.
• For women who are more bottom heavy, large implants balance the body by increasing the volume of the chest. This creates the widely-coveted hourglass figure.
• Large breast implants can decrease the sagging skin around the breasts that results from age and childbearing by filling out the skin envelope. If placed under the muscle, drooping of the implant is much less likely than with natural breasts.
• Patients are less likely to require a repeat breast augmentation procedure to go even bigger. Many women repeat the surgery to increase the size of the implants; this is one of the most common reasons for cosmetic breast implant revision.

Disadvantages of Large Breast Implants

Although women who have large breast implants placed are typically satisfied with the results of surgery, they are associated with some disadvantages, including:

• It is possible that women overestimate the bust size they would like to achieve. If a patient chooses overly large implants, the result may appear slightly disproportionate. In these cases, patients may opt to undergo breast implant revision to decrease the size of the implants.
• Patients who have large breast implants placed may experience a higher degree of side effects, such as increased swelling and discomfort. This may extend the amount of recovery time.
• Patients who have large breast implants placed face an increased risk of certain complications such as hematoma, nipple numbness, droopiness, stretch marks, double bubble, bottoming out, capsular contracture, and skin thinness.
• A larger incision is required for large breast implants; this will result in a larger scar.
• There is the possibility of sagging over time. While implants that are placed under the muscle usually do no droop as much as natural breasts, they also may not stay perfectly in place forever.
• If the patient decides to remove the implants or have smaller implants placed in the future, the implant revision surgery will be more complicated. The surgeon will need to reduce size of the implant pocket and remove excess skin that results from the stretching of the skin.
• There is also the risk of back and neck ache. Most women do not think about the extra weight being carried on the chest as being a physical burden, but it can be if the patient goes much larger than they were before.

To schedule a breast augmentation consultation, and to learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of large breast implants, contact Dr. Paul Pin's Dallas practice.