If you've ever wished you had fuller, shapelier breasts, you're not alone. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the number of women in the U.S. choosing to have breast implants, or breast augmentation, more than tripled between 1997 and 2009, increasing from 101,176 in 1997 to 311,957 in 2009.

Breast implant surgery is now the most popular plastic surgery procedure for American women. And you have more choices than ever before if you are considering breast augmentation. On Nov. 17, 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved silicone gel breast implants, reversing a 14-year virtual ban.

Visit our before and after photo gallery

Is breast augmentation right for you?

Breast augmentation may be a good choice for you if:

• You want to improve your body image
• Dresses that fit you well around the hips are often too big in the bustline
• You feel self-conscious wearing a swimsuit or form-fitting top
• You are dissatisfied that your breasts never developed to the size you wanted
• You wish to balance the size of your breasts
• You want to restore breast volume lost due to pregnancy, weight loss or aging

What can breast implants do for you?

Breast augmentation can do more than simply enlarge smaller breasts. Implants can also help:

• Balance breasts that are unequal in shape or size
• Add firmness to breasts that have lost volume
• Bring your upper body into better proportion with your lower body

Are you a good candidate for breast augmentation?

The best candidates for breast implants are women with:

• Realistic expectations
• Healthy breasts (free from breast cancer or other serious breast disease)
• Adequate breast tissue and skin to cover an implant
• A stable weight

When is breast augmentation not recommended?

You should wait to have breast augmentation surgery if you are:

• Pregnant, nursing or planning to become pregnant soon
• Planning to lose a significant amount of weight

Is your age a factor?

Yes. The FDA requires breast augmentation patients to be:

• At least age 18 for saline implants
• At least age 22 for silicone gel implants

Choosing what's best for you

Breast augmentation surgery involves a number of choices-the size, type, shape and texture of the implants, the location of the incision, and whether the implants are placed above or below the muscle of the chest wall.

After evaluating you and listening to your personal goals for breast augmentation, Dr. Parungao will recommend the options he believes will give you the best results. He may also suggest additional cosmetic procedures to improve your results. If your breasts are sagging, for example, he may recommend that a breast lift be performed along with your breast augmentation surgery.

• Implant size. Breast implants come in many sizes. The volume of silicone gel or saline in the implant is measured in cubic centimeters, or cc's. Implants range in size from approximately 125 to 700 cc. Note that a given implant size does not correspond to a particular bra cup size.

The right implant size for you depends on a number of factors, including the cup size you would like to be after surgery, as well as the amount of breast tissue you have to accommodate an implant. During your consultation, Dr. Parungao will evaluate your breasts and recommend a range of implant sizes that are appropriate for your body.

• Implant type—silicone gel or saline. Today's cohesive silicone gel implants have a very natural look and feel. Saline implants can also produce very pleasing results. For more information, see our silicone vs. saline FAQ and silicone gel vs. saline comparison chart
• Implant shape—round or anatomical. Most patients who have breast augmentation surgery choose round implants, which may produce greater fullness on the top of the breast than would occur with natural breasts. Women with a narrower chest may choose a high-profile version of the round implant that is narrower and offers more projection from the chest wall.

  Anatomical, or teardrop-shaped implants are shaped more like natural breasts—fuller at the bottom than at the top. In rare instances when an anatomical implant rotates within the breast, it can affect the breast's shape. Anatomical implants are also referred to as contoured or shaped

• Implant texture—smooth or textured. The outer shell of breast implants is available with either a smooth or textured surface. Smooth implants are more popular, and may move slightly within the breast.

  Textured implants have an outer shell with a rough feeling like that of fine sandpaper. Some studies have concluded that textured implants may help prevent capsular contracture, or hardening of the pocket around the implant. The rough texture promotes the body tissue's adherence to the implant surface, which may help prevent implant movement within the breast—an important consideration for anatomically shaped implants.

• Incision placement—inframammary, periareolar, axillary or transumbilical. Implants are most commonly inserted through incisions in the inframammary fold under the breasts. Other incision locations include the around the edge of the dark tissue surrounding the nipple (periareolar), in the armpit (axillary) and in or around the navel (transumbilical). Each incision placement has its advantages and disadvantages, which Dr. Parungao will explain to you during your consultation.
• Implant placement—above or below the chest muscle. Once the incision is made, Dr. Parungao creates a pocket into which the implant is inserted. This pocket is made either directly behind the breast tissue (subglandularly) or beneath the pectoral muscle located below the breast tissue and above the chest wall (submuscularly).

Breast augmentation FAQ

Q.	My breasts sag. Will implants help?
A.	Breast augmentation alone might not give you the results you want if your breasts have begun to sag due to pregnancy, weight loss or just the pull of gravity over time. In this case, Dr. Parungao will likely recommend a breast lift in combination with breast augmentation surgery.
Q.	Will breast implants interfere with mammograms?
A.	No. However, when you go for your mammogram, be sure to inform the technician that you have breast implants. There is a special mammography method known as the Eklund technique for women with implants. This technique, which has improved the ability to visualize more of the breast tissue in women with implants, is available at every accredited mammography facility in the U.S.
Q.	Can implants affect my ability to breastfeed?
A.	Yes. Your incisions may adversely affect your breastfeeding ability if they are located in the periareolar area (around the circle of dark tissue surrounding the nipple). If you plan to have children after breast augmentation surgery, placing the incisions in the inframammary fold beneath the breasts is a better option.
Q.	Is silicone dangerous?
A.	No, there has been no conclusive scientific link between silicone gel breast implants and any diseases.
Q.	Do implants need to be replaced every 10 years?
A.	No. This is a popular myth and is not true. There is no expiration date on the implants. However, we do know that they are not lifetime devices. Just like the car you drive today is not going to last forever, neither will your implants.
Q.	Will everybody know I have breast implants?
A.	It depends on the style of clothes you wear. And of course, the larger the implants, the more the breasts will look augmented.
Q.	Are breast implants heavy?
A.	It depends on the size you choose. Bigger implants weigh more. On average, they may add a pound or two.
Q.	What if my implants leak?
A.	If they ever leak, they will need to be replaced.
Q.	Will I be in pain after surgery?
A.	You will have discomfort. The pain usually lasts 2-3 days. We have “pain pumps” you can use to significantly decrease your pain following surgery.
Q.	How long before I return to work or working out?
A.	Most patients are back to work within a week to 10 days after surgery, and can return to working out in about 4 weeks.

Newsletters related to breast augmentation (implant) surgery

	November 2009 Swapping saline implants for silicone is quick and easy under local anesthesia
November 2009
	October 2009 Has gravity taken a toll on your breasts?
October 2009
	August 2009 Think breast implants can't look natural? Think again
August 2009
	February 2009 Wishing for a fuller, more youthful bustline?
February 2009

News releases related to breast augmentation (implant) surgery

June 8, 2010—On-Q® Pain Relief System Eases Recovery from Breast Implant Surgery, Notes Chicago-area Plastic Surgeon Allan Parungao, MD

Recovering from breast augmentation surgery can be painful—especially if the implants are placed under the chest muscle. The On-Q Pain Relief System makes recovery much more comfortable by automatically numbing the surgical site for the first few days after the operation. Many surgeons charge $500 extra for On-Q, but Chicago-area plastic surgeon Allan Parungao, MD, offers this pain-relief system at no extra charge.

PDF version of “On-Q® Pain Relief System Eases Recovery from Breast Implant Surgery”

December 4, 2009—Replacing Saline Breast Implants with Silicone Gel Implants Takes 45 Minutes or Less Under Local Anesthesia, Says Chicago Plastic Surgeon Allan Parungao

More and more women with saline breast implants are choosing to upgrade to silicone gel implants, according to Chicago area plastic surgeon and author Allan Parungao, MD. At Face and Body Plastic Surgery in Oak Brook, Illinois, breast implant replacement can be done quickly and inexpensively under local anesthesia. Most patients return to work the next day.

PDF version of “Replacing Saline Breast Implants with Silicone Gel Implants Takes 45 Minutes or Less Under Local Anesthesia”

June 27, 2007—Baby Boomer breast implant surgery: Like daughter, like mother?

Oak Park, Ill. plastic surgeon and author Allan Parungao, MD FACS, notes a 279% increase in breast implant surgery from 1997 to 2006. And now some daughters who have breast augmentation are inspiring their Baby Boomer mothers to follow suit.

PDF version of “Baby Boomer breast implant surgery: Like daughter, like mother?”