5 Myths About Breast Implants

When it comes to breast implants, misinformation is everywhere. To help you separate fact from fiction, Rancho Cucamonga cosmetic surgeon Dr. Jacob Haiavy is debunking some of the most common breast augmentation myths below. Keep reading to learn why these misconceptions, like that silicone breast implants are unsafe, don’t reflect the reality for the millions of women currently living with breast implants.

• Myth: Augmented breasts look fake
• Myth: Women only get breast implants to go bigger
• Myth: Silicone-filled breast implants aren’t safe
• Myth: Recovery is difficult
• Myth: Breast implants only last for 10 years

Myth: Augmented breasts look fake

Reality: Women approach breast augmentation with a diverse range of aesthetic goals.

It is true that augmented breasts can look dramatic (if you want them to!), but they can also look completely natural. In fact, advancements in breast implant technology have brought us some of the most natural-looking breast implants ever—and women have a huge variety of size, shape, and projection options to ensure they get just the look they want.

While it remains common for women to choose a buxom aesthetic, women are increasingly requesting a natural-looking augmentation with modestly sized implants. Plus, modern silicone gel-filled implants are lightweight and feel more like natural breast tissue, contributing to their natural appearance and feel.

Myth: Women only get breast implants to go bigger

Reality: Breast implants can be used to create a natural look or to restore symmetry.

When it comes to breast augmentation, there is no such thing as one-size-fits-all—and most of our patients simply want to better fill out clothing, appear more feminine, or feel more confident in their own skin (not have Baywatch-style breasts). While size is a big consideration, it’s not the only one. Many patients have an augmentation to improve symmetry or breast shape, enhance their body proportions, or even to correct a defect such as tuberous breasts.

Myth: Silicone-filled breast implants aren’t safe

Reality: Modern silicone breast implants have been extensively redesigned and proven safe for most women. Silicone is also safely used in numerous other types of medical implants.

Modern silicone breast implants are completely different from the versions that were used decades ago: every brand has substantially redesigned their offerings, and all were submitted to extensive multi-year safety studies before achieving FDA approval. In fact, silicone breast implants are among the most highly scrutinized devices in the history of medicine.

Additionally, all currently available silicone implants have resolved the primary concern with past generations of breast implants: they have a cohesive fill that cannot migrate through the body if the implant shell is ruptured. (In the rare case where an implant rupture occurs, the cohesive silicone gel fill will stay within the pocket around the implant until it can be safely removed, and replaced if desired.)

In sum, modern silicone breast implants have an extremely solid safety record and low complication rates. Not only that, they feel more natural, leading to high patient satisfaction. At Inland cosmetic Surgery, our surgeons are some of the few in the world who can place silicone implants through the umbilicus with no scars on the breasts and a very natural look and feel.

Some women still believe they should choose saline implants in the hopes of avoiding silicone, but this is an outdated need. First, choosing saline implants will not help you entirely avoid placing silicone in your body, because silicone material is used for the outer shell of saline-filled implants. Secondly, risks of silicone migration have been resolved with modern cohesive silicone fills, so choosing saline implants for this reason alone is unnecessary.

It is true that some breast implants have recently been recalled due to safety concerns, but the implant fill type was not the issue: it was the textured (instead of smooth) shell. Certain highly textured breast implants were found to be associated with a very rare cancer, breast implant associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). To avoid this risk, our practice exclusively uses smooth-surfaced implants, which allow us to achieve excellent results for our breast augmentation patients.

Myth: Recovery is difficult

Reality: Most women find recovery to be manageable and usually return to work in less than a week.

This is a matter of opinion, as the initial recovery experience varies quite a bit from person to person; the type of anesthesia used is also a large factor. However, many of our breast augmentation patients return to office jobs within just two to three days of surgery. Healing from any surgical procedure isn’t a walk in the park, but most patients wouldn’t describe their breast augmentation recovery as grueling. Discomfort can be managed with a combination of over-the-counter pain medications, rest, and application of ice packs. Plus, an overwhelming 97% of breast augmentation patients think the surgery and recovery was totally worth it.

Myth: Breast implants only last for 10 years

Reality: There is no need to replace implants every ten years, as implants often last much longer.

This is one of the most common breast implant fallacies. Today, the majority of FDA-approved breast implants come with 10-year warranties that cover implant replacement should something happen with the implant within that time. Yet this does not mean that you need to replace your implants after 10 years. Many patients are still thrilled with their results well after 10 years have passed, and there is no medical reason to replace 10-year-old implants that are otherwise considered to be safe.

That said, you should have your implants checked regularly using MRI or ultrasound imaging and remain open to the possibility of implant replacement surgery down the road. Most of the time, however, patients choose to replace their implants based on changes in their bodies or aesthetic preferences, rather than from any failure of their original implants.

Visit Inland Cosmetic Surgery for breast augmentation with the experts

If you’re ready to amp up your curves, your choice of surgeon will affect your results more than any other decision. Find an experienced cosmetic surgeon who has performed your desired procedure hundreds of times and can demonstrate their ability by answering your questions and showing real results for patients like you.

If you’re in or around Rancho Cucamonga, give us a call at 909.987.0899 or contact us online. Our highly skilled cosmetic surgeons, Dr. Jacob Haiavy, Dr. Irene Tower, and Dr. Emma Ryan would be glad to help design the perfect surgical plan for you.