When you start considering a breast augmentation or breast implants with a lift, you may be overwhelmed by the different types implants, brands, and profiles. This can be high dependent on the recommendations of your plastic surgeon. It is important to review your plastic surgeon's before and after photos and Instagram posts to ensure their aesthetic aligns with your goals. Typically they lead you through some type of process below:
1. Do you have a preference for saline of silicone implant?
2. What type of implant profile / projection do you prefer or do you prefer a more "fake" or "natural" look?
3. An examination of your anatomy and your exercise routine to determine the best implant pocket for you.
4. Sizing either 3D and / or in person with implant sizers to determine your ideal implant size.
5. Based on these factors, your plastic surgeon will then recommend a the exact size and brand of implant he recommends.
Most plastic surgeons work with several brands of implants. Be wary if they do not as they may be being paid or be invested personally in the brand. Based on our patients and research, these are the top three implant brands for 2022.
Natrelle is very well known brand in the world of aesthetics. Recently Natrelle was acquired by AbbVie in 2020. AbbVie is a global biopharmaceutical company with drugs like Humira, Rinvoq, and Skyrizi. Most commonly referred to as Natrelle implants these are available as gummy implants (more firm type of silicone implants), silicone / gel implants, and saline implants. These are usually the most expensive implants and most common brand of implants.
Mentor was founded in 1969 and has an excellent reputation for implants. They are now owned by Johnson and Johnson, and they offer three main types of implants: Contour Profile Gel, Memory Gel, and saline implants. Recently they launched a new implant, Mentor MemoryGel which is supposed to be more similar to Natrelle implants.
These implants are manufactured in Brazil. They have a 20 year warranty on implants and offer both high-strength cohesive gel and high strength cohesive gel plus implants.
As a side note, Ideal Implants were founded in 2006 by a plastic surgeon and is privately held. These are structured implants with multiple silicone shells to help the implant feel more like a silicone implant but they are filled with saline. These are not as common as the other implant options and have had multiple recalls in the last several years.
We recommend you ask during your consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon the brand the surgeon prefers and why the surgeon prefers that brand versus the others. You want to ensure the surgeon is considering results first and foremost and not the price.
If you are interested in breast augmentation in San Antonio, set up a consultation with Dr. William Albright who was voted for 2021 and 2022 at the Best Cosmetic Surgeon in San Antonio.
