Breast augmentation, also called augmentation mammoplasty, is a medical procedure which involves using implants to enhance or restore the physical form and size of breasts. It can be done for reconstructive purposes, such as after a mastectomy, or for cosmetic reasons. First developed in the 19th century, breast augmentation in Salt Lake City, as in any other place in the world, has become a way for many women to have the fuller breasts that they desire.
Throughout the years, various substances have been used as breast implant fillers. Evolving from the 19th century’s glass balls, ground rubber, ivory, and terylene wool implants, breast implant fillers of today are mostly made of either saline solution or silicone gel.
Saline
One of the most commonly used implants, a saline-filled breast implant is a silicone elastomer shell filled with sterile salt water. Saline implants are inserted into the breast empty and then filled once they’re in place. Because of this, only small incisions are made to the breast during the operation. Saline breast implants can yield good to excellent results in terms of breast size, contour, and feel.
Silicone
Unlike saline, silicone breast implants are pre-filled with silicone gel – a thick and sticky fluid that closely resembles the feel of human fat. Silicone implants can give breasts a very natural look and firmer feel. Because it can closely resemble natural breast tissue, many women prefer silicone as the breast implant choice.
Profile and Shape
Breast implants generally come in three distinct profiles: low, moderate, and high. It is a measure of how protruding the implants will be once in place. Low and moderate profile implants have a wide diameter and a little forward projection, while high profile implants have a narrow base diameter and the most forward projection.
The breast implant profile to be used is usually determined by the body frame of the patient. For instance, for a woman with a narrow frame, a high profile implant is commonly used as low or moderate profile implants may be too wide for the patient’s body. The opposite is true for wide-framed patients.
For added safety, surgeons like Dr. Trenton Jones make use of Mentor Memory Gel implants which holds the silicone together even as the outer covering breaks. Utah breast augmentation patients will surely appreciate not having silicone seep into other parts of the body following an accidental rupture.