A couple of decades back, breast augmentation patients tended to prefer breast implants that would produce results inspired by Baywatch actors. That’s rarely the case now. Women considering breast augmentation at our Boston plastic surgery practice want breast implants that create more natural-looking results and fit their active lifestyles.
Women who practice yoga, run, or compete in sports often spend much of their free time in activewear. They want to avoid implants that create overly large breasts that restrict range of motion or require extra supportive garments.
Whether a woman wants to enhance naturally small breasts or restore volume lost after having children—or for any other reason a patient is considering breast augmentation—choosing breast implants that will help achieve their goals is both exciting and a bit nerve-wracking. It’s important to choose an experienced cosmetic breast surgeon who can help match your best breast implant options to your aesthetic desires and lifestyle.
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Choosing the Right Implant Size and Profile
Something that often surprises patients when they begin researching breast implants is the number of options available. These choices include implant size and the width and projection from the chest—called the implant profile. As a breast augmentation patient, you really have hundreds of options when choosing breast implants. That may sound a bit overwhelming, and that’s why choosing a plastic surgeon you trust and can communicate with honestly is so important.
The path to great breast augmentation results begins at the consultation.
When I meet with patients for breast augmentation consultations, we discuss their concerns and goals, followed by a physical exam that includes measuring their frames, including the width of their chests. These measurements help narrow the options for implants.
For women concerned about implants interfering with their active lifestyles, it’s important to choose implants that are:
- Not wider than your chest, so they don’t spill out from the side, and;
- A size in harmony with the rest of your body, which produces results that look natural and don’t impede your mobility or comfort
Patients often arrive at their consultations having already completed extensive online research. This is fine, but I caution against having a specific implant size in mind because what looks great on one person may not create the same results for another woman.
Saline vs Silicone: Which Is Better for Your Lifestyle?
When an experienced plastic surgeon performs breast augmentation, both saline-filled and cohesive silicone gel implants can create natural-looking results. Most patients and surgeons, however, believe silicone gel implants feel, look, and behave more like natural breast tissue. Saline implants tend to feel harder. About 85% of the patients getting breast implants choose silicone gel implants.
If you do choose saline-filled implants, you can consider a hybrid breast augmentation. This technique transfers purified fat from another area of the body, such as the abdomen, and uses it to soften the look and feel of the implants to create a more natural outcome.
Placement Options: Over or Under the Muscle?
You may already be aware that surgeons insert implants either behind the natural breast tissue but above the chest muscle (subglandular) or behind the chest muscle (submuscular). Each option has its benefits and considerations, especially for active women.
Under the Muscle
Leaner, athletic women with little existing breast tissue often benefit from submuscular placement, as the chest muscle helps to naturally camouflage the implant edges, creating a smoother, more natural look. However, for women who engage in high-intensity upper body workouts, such as weightlifting or CrossFit, it’s important to understand that submuscular placement may cause the implant to shift slightly during muscle engagement. This phenomenon, known as “animation deformity,” is typically mild and doesn’t affect most women, but it’s a factor to consider for those with highly defined pectoral muscles.
Above the Muscle
On the other hand, subglandular placement—above the muscle—can be a good option for women with highly developed chest and arm muscles, such as bodybuilders. This placement avoids interference with the chest muscle during exercise, reducing the likelihood of implant movement. While subglandular implants may be more visible in women with less natural breast tissue, the right implant size and type, along with careful surgical techniques, can achieve an aesthetically pleasing and natural-looking result.
During your consultation, we’ll carefully discuss your fitness routine and aesthetic goals to determine the placement option that best aligns with your active lifestyle.
Tools To Help You Choose Breast Implants
Many patients look at before-and-after photos of actual patients when they start thinking about breast augmentation. Look for women with similar body types to yours and bring in those photos or other pictures that demonstrate the look you want. It’s also helpful to find photos showing the results that you don’t like.
At our practice, we also offer patients the opportunity to visualize potential results using a state-of-the-art 3D imaging system called Crisalix. This popular technology enables you to see how your breasts could look with different sizes of implants.
How To Ensure Your Surgeon Addresses Your Concerns
An active lifestyle means different things to different people. It’s important to evaluate what it means to you and communicate those issues with your plastic surgeon. Do you run every day, play tennis, or participate in other sports that involve a lot of running? You may have different goals than a woman who gets most of her exercise by hiking or swimming. Do your aesthetic goals match your lifestyle?
Physically active women considering breast implants often have specific concerns about how the procedure might affect their active lifestyles and fitness goals. Here are some of the common considerations we hear from our athletic breast augmentation patients:
- Implant Size and Profile: They often want implants that look proportional and won’t interfere with activities like running, yoga, or weightlifting. Smaller or moderate profiles are typically preferred to maintain comfort and mobility.
- Type of Implant: Many are curious about the benefits of saline vs. silicone implants, especially regarding their feel, durability, and how they hold up during physical activity.
- Placement of the Implant: Active women may ask whether implants should be placed above or below the chest muscle. Submuscular placement is common for a more natural appearance, but some worry it might impact their strength or performance in upper body exercises.
- Recovery Time and Return to Activity: They want to know how long they’ll need to wait before resuming their workouts, especially high-intensity training or heavy lifting. Learn more about breast augmentation recovery milestones.
- Supportive Gear and Comfort: Ensuring proper breast support during exercise post-surgery is a key concern. Many ask for advice on sports bras that provide stability without compromising healing.
- Longevity and Durability: Women leading active lifestyles are often concerned about the long-term durability of implants, especially with repetitive movements or impact sports.
- Scarring and Aesthetics: The visibility of scars is often a worry, as physically active women might wear clothing like sports bras or swimsuits that expose more of the chest area.
The good news is that with so many breast implant options available, it’s easier than ever for a surgeon to customize your procedure based on both your lifestyle and the look you want.
If you’re looking for a breast augmentation specialist, you can contact us using the online form to request a consultation or call our practice at (781) 740-7840 to schedule an appointment.
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