Breast Augmentation – Round Silicone Breast Implants

Dr. Kunkel offers breast augmentation to women from Fort Worth, Colleyville, Mansfield, Weatherford, Arlington, and across North Texas and beyond. Fort Worth doctors have recognized Dr. Kunkel’s outstanding care of patients and have voted him a TopDoc (Fort Worth, Texas Magazine) 22 times! You can call 817.335.5200 to schedule your Round Silicone Breast Implant consultation today!

Benefits Of Silicone Breast Implants Compared To Saline

Silicone implants may feel a little more natural to a hand touching a breast than saline implants. They feel less “crinkly” (see the next paragraph). Silicone implants also may provide a little more fullness in the upper areas of the breasts than similar-volume saline implants.

Image of a breast implant

Both saline and silicone implants have some wrinkles in their shell surfaces. The implant companies have developed thicker silicone gels to minimize this issue. Silicone implants from the 1990’s and early 2000’s had thinner silicone than is found in implants more commonly used today. The term “gummy bear” has been used for thicker silicone gel implants. This is because if one of the implants with this thicker gel is torn in two, it’s kind of like biting a gummy bear candy in two.  The silicone is thickly bonded to itself. It doesn’t leak all over.

Best Candidates For Silicone Breast Implants

Woman wearing a white lacey bra

(This is a model, not an actual patient.)

A woman who is thin and has little breast tissue may have a better result with silicone breast implants than saline.  Less tissue covering a breast implant increases the likelihood of wrinkles in the implant being seen.   Silicone breast implants may also be better for a woman whose breasts are low on her chest but not actually droopy.  As described above, the thickness of the gel may help provide more fullness higher on the chest than similar-volume saline implants.  FDA regulations require that a woman be at least 22 years-old to be eligible for silicone gel breast implants.

How is augmentation with silicone implants performed?

Dr. Kunkel performs breast augmentation with the patient under general anesthesia. The surgery takes place at an accredited surgery center in Fort Worth, and the patient goes home shortly after waking up.

Once the incision is made Dr. Kunkel then creates a pocket for the implant. This can be made in front of the pectoral muscle or behind it. There are pluses and minuses to each approach, as you’ll discuss with Dr. Kunkel during your consultation. The silicone implants are then placed into the created breast pockets. Once placed, Dr. Kunkel checks the symmetry and balance of the breasts. When satisfied with the overall appearance, your incisions are closed.

Will my silicone breast implants look natural?

Because silicone implants have a uniform dispersal of the gel, and because the gel is much thicker than saline solution, it’s widely believed that silicone implants tend to look and feel more natural than saline implants. For most people, silicone implants placed by an experienced plastic surgeon such as Dr. Kunkel are hard to distinguish from natural breasts.

There are a couple factors that affect how natural the breasts will look:

  • Implant size and projection — Rather than thinking just about the implant size and opting for only high-profile implants, it’s better to work with Dr. Kunkel to find the best size and projection to fit your figure. Our Vectra 3D imaging system allows you to see how different sizes and projection profiles will look on your figure.
  • Implant spacing — As you can see from our before and after gallery, Dr. Kunkel has a great understanding of the spacing of our patients’ implants. Too far apart or too close together create unnatural-looking results. That’s where Dr. Kunkel’s experience comes into play.

How long do silicone breast implants last?

Silicone implants are guaranteed by the three manufacturers for 10 years. If the implants rupture within this timeframe, the company will pay the cost of removing and replacing the implants.

Does that mean every silicone implant needs to be replaced every 10 years? Not at all. Modern silicone implants have shown to be more durable than those from the past. It’s not unusual for silicone implants to last 20 years or longer.

What is recovery from silicone implant augmentation surgery like?

Recovery from breast augmentation is not any different than with saline implants. Pain is manageable and most patients can be up and around the next day. Patients will wear a support bra or wrap for two weeks following surgery. After that, a sports bra or other comfortable bra is fine. Underwire bras need to be avoided for three months following surgery. Patients need to wait six months before buying bras for the future.

There will be a fair amount of swelling after surgery. This will mainly pass within two weeks, but there can be some residual swelling for 6-8 weeks.

Most patients can return to work after one week.

Woman in a green sports bra lying on her stomach on a mat

What aftercare is required with silicone implants?

The FDA recommends that women with silicone breast implants have a non-contrast MRI three years after Dr. Kunkel places your implants and then ever two years thereafter. The reason for this is that, unlike saline implants, silicone implant rupture is virtually indetectable. But a rupture can be seen on an MRI.

Will I have any scars after my silicone breast implant procedure?

Any time an incision is made in the skin a scar forms. That is simply due to collagen that the body produces to heal the wound. When Dr. Kunkel places silicone implants, he generally does so through the inframammary incision along the breast crease or through the transaxillary incision in the armpit.

With the incision along the breast crease there will be visible scar. It is hidden beneath a bathing suit or a bra, but it is visible when uncovered. Over time, these scars become more and more faint, but they will remain.

The advantage of the transaxillary incision in the armpit is that there isn’t any scarring on the breast. The small vertical incisions made in each armpit are made in the natural crease and are very hard to see even when the woman has her arms raised.

What Are The Risks Of Silicone Breast Implants?

The vast majority of women who undergo breast augmentation with round silicone implants are happy with their results.  As with all surgical procedures, however, there are some risks.  For instance, infection is a risk.  Although uncommon, if an infection occurs a breast implant may need to be removed.  The scar tissue that develops internally around a breast implant may become firm. This is known as capsular contracture. There has also been concern that silicone gel breast implants may cause connective tissue disorders like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. This has been evaluated by many doctors in numerous studies. The studies indicate that breast implants are not significantly associated with a risk of developing a defined connective tissue disease. There are additional risks and these are discussed with women when they visit Dr. Kunkel’s office.

Breast Implant Companies

There are three companies making silicone gel breast implants that are approved by the FDA for use in the U.S. Links are provided below. Each company has its own manufacturing techniques, and each company provides warranties. Learn more about each company by clicking on the link:

Call Dr. Kunkel For Round Silicone Breast Implants In Fort Worth, TX!

If you are interested in learning more about Round Silicone Breast Implants and whether you are a candidate for treatment, be sure to contact Dr. Kelly Kunkel today for a personalized consultation. Dial 817.335.5200 today or fill out the form in our contact page. Our practice serves Fort Worth and the surrounding areas of Texas.

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