A study found that just under 30% of women are satisfied with their breasts, and almost half of them want larger ones. Some may want larger breasts to appear more feminine or to balance out their overall body shape more.
No matter what’s on your mind, you feel like your breasts are too small, and you’d like to boost their size, as this will give you more confidence.
What’s great is that there are several procedures available that can help enhance your look. In this article, we’ll go over the topic of breast augmentation vs implants so you understand the difference.
What’s Breast Augmentation?
As the name implies, breast augmentation is a surgical procedure that’s designed to enhance several aspects of your breasts, mainly the size, shape, or fullness. This means that the surgery not only increases the breast size, but it also improves symmetry and restores volume after weight loss or pregnancy. Those who have gone through a mastectomy or trauma can also have their breasts rebuilt with breast augmentation.
Will It Make My Breasts Perkier?
While this procedure will give you a larger breast size, it won’t make your breasts perkier. For some people, this is okay, but for others, they’ll want a more rejuvenated appearance.
If you’re in the latter group, then consider combining breast augmentation with a breast lift (mastopexy). This procedure tightens things up to eliminate sagginess and improve the general look.
Of course, the breast lift cost will be separate from the breast augmentation procedure. However, many plastic surgeons will give you a discount if you combine both.
The Cost of Breast Augmentation
In the US, the cost of breast augmentation can range from $6,000 to $12,000. Factors that impact the price include your location, the plastic surgeon you pick, and the type of implants you use.
In Mexico, this surgery is much cheaper, which is why many people choose to fly south for their procedures.
What Are Breast Implants?
Breast implants are a type of breast augmentation; the other type is fat grafting, where the surgeon uses liposuction to draw fat from your body, and then inject it into your breasts. Fat grafting is only ideal if you want a slight increase in breast size, so if you want something a bit more dramatic, then you should consider breast implants instead.
There are several types of breast implants, which we’ll explore below.
Saline
Saline implants are filled with sterile saltwater. Should they ever rupture, then your body will absorb the saline. It’ll then naturally expel the saline, without being hazardous to your health.
Saline implants can be pretty uniform and also firm. For some people, this doesn’t provide a natural enough aesthetic.
Structured Saline
If you find saline implants not natural enough, but still want their benefits, then consider structured saline implants. These also have sterile saltwater, but the difference is they have an inner structure. This addition can make the implants look and feel more natural.
Silicone
Silicone implants are filled with silicone gel. This gives them a texture that feels more like natural breast tissue.
Should the silicone gel leak, the implant will somewhat retain its shape, unlike saline implants, which collapse. While this may sound good in theory, this means that you have to get regular checkups to ensure your implants aren’t leaking.
Gummy Bear
Gummy bear implants are actually a type of silicone implant. They retain their shape, even if you cut them or they rupture. This is because thicker silicone is used.
Round, Smooth, and Textured Breast Implants
You can also choose between round, smooth, or textured breast implants.
Round implants have a uniform shape, which decreases the chance of them rotating out of place. However, they have the most unnatural look.
Smooth implants are very soft and can move around, so you get more natural movement. The caveat is that there may be rippling.
Lastly, textured implants stay in one place, thanks to scar tissue. While this prevents repositioning, it also leads to an unnatural stiffness in movement.
All of your options have their own pros and cons, so it’s recommended that you do some research and have an initial consultation with an expert surgeon to discuss your desired results. Together, you can decide which types of implants are best for your situation.
The Cost of Breast Implants
In the US, the average cost of breast implants is $4,875. If you’re curious about fat grafting, the average cost is $5,719.
Take note that this is for the surgery itself, and it doesn’t include other expenses, such as anesthesia and medication. With those things added in, the number can easily double or even triple.
Breast Augmentation vs Implants
“Breast augmentation” refers to the surgical procedure that’s designed to enhance the size, shape, or fullness of the breasts. The two main techniques are breast implants and fat transfer augmentation. Basically, “breast augmentation” is a broad concept that encompasses any method used to increase breast size.
On the other hand, breast implants are the devices used for breast augmentation surgery. They’re artificial and can be saline, silicone, or “gummy bear” ones. This means that “breast implants” are a narrower term, and specify a type of breast augmentation.
So the main difference between “breast augmentation” and “breast implants” is that the former is a broad term for surgeries and the latter is a specific term for devices used in those surgeries.
Increase Your Breast Size and Feel More Confident
You might be tired of wearing padded bras to get the chest you want. So isn’t it time to get a more permanent solution that’ll boost your confidence too?
Now that you know more about breast augmentation vs implants, the next step is to speak to an experienced plastic surgeon. To save a significant amount of money, consider using a professional in Mexico, such as Dr. Valdez. He has over 16 years of experience and has performed over 3,000 successful surgeries.
Get in touch with us today to hear more about breast augmentation in Mexico. Dr. Valdez holds many certifications from prestigious organizations and can help you achieve your aesthetic goals.
References:
- Breast Augmentation Cost. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Accessed November 21, 2024. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/breast-augmentation/cost
- Oon IH, Mara JK, Steele JR, McGhee DE, Lewis V, Coltman CE. Women with larger breasts are less satisfied with their breasts: Implications for quality of life and physical activity participation. Womens Health (Lond). 2022;18:17455057221109394. doi:10.1177/17455057221109394
- Shahram Salemy M| S, Friday M 31. How much does breast augmentation cost? American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Accessed November 21, 2024. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/blog/how-much-does-breast-augmentation-cost
- Types of Breast Implants. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Accessed November 21, 2024. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/breast-augmentation/implants