There are any number of things to consider when choosing a breast surgeon. You want someone with experience, and a keen artistic eye. You want someone who listens carefully to your desires, and understands your aesthetic. And you want someone who is prepared for any curveball that may occur. This is why I think a surgeon’s implant inventory is important. As a breast surgery expert for over 25 years, I have performed thousands of breast augmentations. I can eyeball your physique and know which implants are going to work. However, as an expert, someone who studied biomedical engineering and a perfectionist, I never rely on guesswork. During your initial consultation, I will take a series of detailed measurements that will tell us exactly what your individual anatomy needs from a breast implant in order to achieve your desired result. I will then choose a range of appropriate implants to take into the operating room. About 98% of the time, I use one of these chosen implants. But occasionally, I get surprised, and decide that I need something bigger or smaller than originally planned. This is why implant inventory is critical. It means that I never have to settle for second best.
Choosing the Right Implant is About More than Just Size
As a culture, we’ve become a little obsessed with size. Whether it’s cars, bank accounts or burgers, bigger seems to be better. However, when it comes to choosing the right breast implant, size may not be as critical as you think. Any body contouring procedure is about restoring proper proportion. Breast volume is certainly a component of this, but an ideal implant actually comes down to two things:
- Shape
- Feel
It’s my job to help you figure out which of the two is more important to you, and then find the breast implants that hit what I like to call the “sweet spot”. This is the place where an implant has enough cohesiveness to hold its shape yet doesn’t feel too firm.
What is Silicone Gel Cohesiveness?
At any given time, I have over 300 implants in stock in a range of sizes and cohesiveness. The latter, in simplest terms, refers to the firmness of an implant. This impacts its ability to hold its shape when standing on its side (which is how it will be in your body). I stock three different gel types:
- Highly cohesive SCM implants
- Soft touch SSM implants
- Non-responsive or non-gummy implants
If you have small breasts with tight tissues, any of the three can work for you. But if your breasts sag, and you don’t have a lot of natural fullness in the upper portion of your breast, one of the firmer implants may be a better choice as it will increase volume, and retain upper pole fullness with less risk that your implant will be too firm to the touch. As mentioned, I am always looking for that balance. My goal is to deliver both a lovely shape and a natural feel. My full catalog of implants, which takes up two different storage closets in my office, means that I will always have the implant that you need for surgery no matter what.
To find out more about a breast augmentation procedure, or any surgical or non-surgical procedure with Dr. Mark Epstein in Hauppauge, Long Island, contact us today or call 631-689-1100 to schedule a consultation.
