Breast Implant Profiles and Their Impact on Your Augmentation
When deciding on the specifics of your breast augmentation, some choices seem relatively clear-cut. An implant’s size, for instance, is a straightforward matter that is easily understood by most patients. Other factors, however, are not as well known. Implant profile is one option that often requires further clarification, and yet it can have an equally significant impact on the results of an augmentation. In order to help our Houston patients make the best choices regarding their breast enhancement surgeries, we offer the following information on implant profiles and their role in the treatment process.
What Is an Implant’s Profile?
Implant profile refers to how the implant’s volume is distributed within the shell. Namely, it determines whether the material is more evenly distributed, thus producing a flatter and wider shell, or whether more material is distributed toward the front of the implant. In effect, this determines how far outward the implant projects from the patient’s body, in turn affecting the shape of the breasts.
Profile is not to be confused with implant size, which primarily refers to the surface area of the shell, or volume, which refers to how fully the shell is filled. Rather, implant profile can be thought of as an implant’s shape, which can make breasts appear more full in different areas or from different points of view.
Types of Implant Profiles and Their Effects
In discussing your profile options with your doctor, you will likely encounter profiles that range from “low” to “high”:
- Low profile implants: Implants with lower profiles barely have any outward projection, instead offering even distribution near the breast base. This helps produce subtle augmentations that do not dramatically affect the breast’s upper pole fullness. In exchange, the breasts gain more fullness in the sides, typically creating more cleavage.
- Moderate profile implants: Moderately profiled implants provide some outward projection, giving patients both fullness of the upper breast and breast base. This is a popular choice among patients, as it offers a noticeable improvement to one’s profile curves without forcing breasts to appear unnaturally firm or lifted.
- High profile implants: Higher profiles concentrate on fullness of the breast’s upper pole, pushing it further outward than a typical impact of comparable size. This is a good option for patients who want their augmentation to be more noticeable from a side-view, or those who have a small breast base and cannot support wider implants.
Although implant profile is largely a matter of aesthetic preference, some patients’ body types are better suited for some profiles over others. It is therefore important that you speak with your doctor about the cosmetic and medical advantages of each option before making an informed decision. It is also worth considering an implant’s profile in relation to the other factors present, such as size, material, shape, and texture.
Which Profile Is Right for Me?
There are numerous factors to consider when deciding on your profile. First and foremost, think about what sort of look you wish to achieve. Higher profiles may result in more obvious curvature of the body, but these curves may appear “fake” if the implants are already a large upgrade for you. Likewise, lower profiles may not create enough lateral projection for certain patients’ tastes. Ultimately, speak with your doctor about your cosmetic goals in order to learn which profile is best suited for you.
In addition, patients must consider their physical needs. Some body types are simply ill-suited for certain profiles. If you have a narrow breast base, a low profiled implant may extend too far outward, creating an extra bubble from the breast pocket. These problems are not often considered until patients consult their doctors, at which point any advice should be carefully scrutinized.
Schedule an Appointment
Breast augmentation surgery comprises a myriad of options and decisions in order to ensure patients benefit from truly satisfying results. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Madjidi to learn more about your potential augmentation and the choices that will best benefit you.
